


The Albergo

by baeconandeggs, fauxglitter



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action, Angst, Fantasy, Fluff, Gore, Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, M/M, Magic, Minor Character Death, Mystery, Romance, Sorcerers, Urban Fantasy, Violence, character harm, implied!onesided sebaek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 02:40:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 33,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14906792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/fauxglitter/pseuds/fauxglitter
Summary: Baekhyun runs The Albergo, a mysterious members-only hotel tucked into the back alleys of the big city. One rainy evening, a red-haired traveler walks in, smelling like fire, smoke and danger. Baekhyun senses something strange about this particular guest, but that doesn’t stop him from letting the stranger into his hotel (and his heart).





	The Albergo

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #:** BAE142  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.  
>  **Author's Note:** Hello!!!! :) First off, a big thank you to the mods for organizing the fest, and for being so sweet and understanding. You guys are the best!  <3 To my prompter, I’d like to thank you as well for such a lovely prompt! I fell in love with it the first time I saw it, and I knew I had to write it. Honestly speaking, the story kind of took on a life of its own, and I allowed it to lead me wherever it wanted to go. Nonetheless, I really hope that this doesn’t disappoint! ^^ Lastly, to all my other readers, I’d like to say that this fic really isn’t as scary as the tags might make it seem! I wanted to err on the safe side with all my tags and warnings. There is some violence and gore in the story, but I wouldn’t really say that it’s overly explicit. However, please take note that due to the nature of this au, major characters in the story do get hurt/injured! This story also does get pretty angsty, but I guess I should reassure you from the start that this would be a happy ending. That being said, if angst and violence is not your cup of tea, then this might not be the fic for you. Happy reading! (or not) xD

The unexpected visitor arrived during an immense thunderstorm, dripping rainwater all over the creaky floorboards of the dim hotel lobby. With a black umbrella gripped tightly in his right hand like a cane, as well as a brown duffel bag slung carelessly across his shoulder, he strolled purposefully towards the reception desk.

Baekhyun slowly set down the book that he was reading and sat up straight in his chair, observing the red-haired stranger warily. Despite being drenched from head to toe, the tall and handsome male still managed to exude an aura of refined grandeur and youthful enthusiasm. Baekhyun took one look at his stylish bomber jacket and ripped jeans, and he concluded almost immediately that this was likely a _human_ college student hoping to seek shelter from the rain. He scrunched his nose at the acrid scent of smoke emanating from the boy, wondering just how many packets of cigarettes he must have smoked to reek _that_ badly.

Baekhyun quickly searched his mind for the perfect excuse to turn away the traveller, which was something that came naturally from the hundreds of years he had spent manning the front desk. Even though the hotel was tucked furtively in the back alleys of the city, unsuspecting humans would still stumble into his establishment from time to time, which made it necessary for Baekhyun to turn them away. Baekhyun knew he could always provide the simple excuse that their rooms were fully occupied, but he enjoyed being creative with his responses. Once, he told an elderly couple that the hotel was grappling with a terrible cockroach infestation, and they had left hastily without a backward glance. Another time, he turned away a timid lawyer by pretending to be possessed by the vengeful spirit from Room 167—an act which he still laughs about till this very day.

Baekhyun cleared his throat and greeted the visitor with a small, cautious smile. “Good evening, welcome to _The Albergo._ How may I help you?”

“Hello, I’d like to check-in,” the visitor beamed, showing off his two immaculate rows of pearly white teeth.

“I’m sorry, but this is a _members-only_ hotel,” Baekhyun replied honestly, deciding to spare the innocent traveller from his imaginative excuses. “You may stay in the lobby until the rain lets up, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to offer you a room.”

“Ah, but I _am_ a member,” he responded smoothly, as if he had been expecting Baekhyun to say just that. With a small flourish, he tugged the glove off his right hand, revealing a glistening ring on his index finger.

Baekhyun’s eyes widened almost immediately in recognition. The man was in possession of the Bloodstone ring—a unique identifier of all _Seekers_ , and the most important token to signify a rightful membership. Despite the dim lighting of the lobby, the ring seemed to take on a brilliant glow on its own, and Baekhyun watched in amusement as its red specks danced within its smooth black band.

Baekhyun chuckled softly under his breath, staring at the new face through a different set of lenses this time round.

_A lean and muscular body, sharp eyes, and a beguiling smile—_ the physical traits of a typical Seeker. Probably fresh out of the training facility as well, judging from the fact that this was his first time checking into the Albergo. That, and his too-bright smile was also a dead giveaway. New Seekers always looked like that—full of hot-blooded passion and energy, but the light in their eyes slowly but surely dimmed with the passing of each _Hunt._ This was a cycle that Baekhyun knew all too well, having witnessed this change in the Seekers that went in and out of his mysterious hotel.

Baekhyun knew all the Seekers by face and name, and he conversed enough with them to call them his friends. After all, the Seeker community wasn’t _that_ big, and Baekhyun’s establishment was a popular resting place for wearied Seekers seeking rejuvenation. From time to time, fresh-faced Seekers would graduate from the training facility and drop by the Albergo, which was a rite of passage of sorts before they embark on their very first Hunt.

“A new member,” Baekhyun remarked with a bright smile. “Welcome to the family! My name is Byun Baekhyun, and I’m the guest relations manager of this hotel,” Baekhyun extended his hand for a handshake. “Do you have your documents with you? I’ll need them to key your details into the system. For record-keeping purposes.”

“Of course,” the taller male grabbed his hand immediately. “My name is Chanyeol, by the way. _Park Chanyeol,_ ” he introduced himself with an endearing smile, and Baekhyun thought to himself that he rather adored the newbie’s bashful dimples. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Park Chanyeol,” Baekhyun repeated with a soft hum while he scanned through his documents. “It says here that your power is... _fire?_ ”

_Ah, so it made sense why he smelled like smoke._

Baekhyun couldn’t help but let out an impressed whistle. The rare ability to control fire, also known formally as pyrokinesis, is a highly volatile and destructive form of power. Only an extremely powerful sorcerer can harness such an ability properly, and it was even rarer among Seekers.

Baekhyun stared at the new member curiously. _Why did Chanyeol become a Seeker? Was he chosen, or did he sign up voluntarily?_ Those were some of the questions that swam in Baekhyun’s mind as he keyed Chanyeol’s details into the computer.

“Yes,” Chanyeol nodded. “I promise that I’ll try not to burn anything down,” he said solemnly, but Baekhyun could read the playful, teasing twinkle in his eyes.

 _“Try?”_ Baekhyun narrowed his eyes, but his lips were curled upwards into a small smile. “Set anything on fire, and you’ll witness my wrath. I’m not kidding,” Baekhyun laughed light-heartedly and gestured for Chanyeol to follow him.

Chanyeol trailed after Baekhyun eagerly, passing through the thick wooden doors that had mysteriously materialized behind the reception desk.

Even though he had heard several rumours about the grandeur that awaited him behind those heavy doors, he was still taken aback when greeted with the impressive sight.

Chanyeol found himself standing in a stately lobby decorated in opulent golds and intricate marble patterns. It was reminiscent of a true 5-star luxury hotel, and definitely a stark contrast to the dim and dank lobby that they had just come from. It was like he had stepped into a completely different world, and Chanyeol found himself wondering how it was possible to hide such a massive space within a deceptively small building.

It took him a few moments to take in his surroundings, holding in his breath from the sheer excitement of gaining access to such a secret space. It was not hard to guess that the Albergo must be a manifestation of a powerful form of illusionist magic, an ancient magic that weaved tangible realities from the distortion of light energy. It was a pure and clean form of magic, something which he had not witnessed for himself in centuries.

Chanyeol was far more impressed than he would like to admit. Every single fibre of his being tingled with an eager curiosity. He couldn’t wait to uncover the very foundations of this architectural illusion, couldn’t wait to unearth the secrets hidden within.

The lobby was buzzing with activity, from guests milling around the indoor fountain, to harried bellboys going about their duties. Chanyeol took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the unmistakable fragrance of fresh lavender. It was a scent that immediately put his frazzled nerves at ease, and he had to remind himself not to get too comfortable.

He looked upwards at the tall ceiling, pleasantly surprised to see a huge skylight which closely resembled the oculus in the Pantheon dome. The humans also called it an ‘all-seeing eye’ of the Gods, an idea which Chanyeol found oddly amusing. He was sure that the skylight at the Albergo was an enchanted one, for it was showing a lovely patch of rose-tinted evening skies—a complete contrast to the dark and stormy setting on the outside.

“A towel for you, Sir,” a uniformed staff member handed him a hand towel, but he was far too immersed in his own thoughts to make any attempt to dry himself.

“We’d better get you to your room so you can get a warm shower,” Baekhyun laughed, leading the way towards the elevators.

Chanyeol nodded, shaking himself out of his stupor. Many curious pairs of eyes were on him as he walked through the lobby, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel extremely uncomfortable from the keen attention he was receiving. Everyone was intrigued by the new face, and they were not attempting to hide their harmless fascination.

“You should introduce yourself to everyone tomorrow morning. We serve breakfast at the Grand Hall from 8am onwards,” Baekhyun commented casually, as if he could read Chanyeol’s mind. He pressed a button, and Chanyeol only responded with a polite smile as the elevator shot upwards at a startling speed.

A loud ding announced their arrival at the 6th floor, and Chanyeol stepped out of the elevator in a daze. He was greeted by the sight of a long corridor which appeared to stretch on infinitely—yet another illusion that he’d have to figure out during his stay at the Albergo.

Chanyeol was caught off-guard when Baekhyun suddenly wrapped both of his hands in his, muttering something softly under his breath with his eyes shut in concentration. Chanyeol couldn’t help but shudder from the sensation of Baekhyun’s icy cold fingers against his perpetually warm ones. It was as if he had stuck his hands into a freezer just moments before, giving Chanyeol the chills—both figuratively and literally.

“Here you go. I’ve configured your ring to access your room. Room 614 is five doors down and on the left.”

“Oh wow,” Chanyeol blinked, resisting the urge to say something about Baekhyun’s unusually cold hands. “Thank you!” he smiled brightly.

“You’re welcome,” Baekhyun patted Chanyeol’s shoulders. “I hope you have a pleasant stay at the Albergo. Do not hesitate to let me know if you need anything.”

With a small wave and a kind smile, Baekhyun stepped backwards into the elevator, which promptly descended before Chanyeol could utter anything in response.

For a full minute, Chanyeol remained unmoving at the same spot, but his facial muscles were unable to mask the conspiratorial smirk that he had been hiding. His lips slowly curled upwards into a triumphant grin as he held his fingers towards the light to admire the extremely useful ring.

Chuckling sardonically, he thought of its original owner—a mousy, inexperienced Seeker whom he had ambushed and incinerated into nothing but a pile of ashes.

So very pathetic, just like everyone else in the Albergo.

A heady rush of adrenaline pumped through his veins as he strolled towards his room with slow but purposeful steps.

_Finally. It was time to let the games begin._

\--

It was at half-past eight the next morning that Chanyeol shuffled into the Grand Hall, pleasantly surprised by the delicious aromas wafting through the air. It was a breakfast buffet spread that extended from the entrance all the way to the far end of the hall, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but marvel at the extensive assortment of dishes. Even though these were not exactly what he needed to satisfy his hunger, he did enjoy the taste of food. He took a plate and began to pile on the scrambled eggs and French toast, squirting a generous amount of whipped cream onto his blueberry pancakes. Balancing a few more pastries on top of his growing plate, he reminded himself not to get too used to the luxury.

_After all, this was only going to be a temporary thing._

With a heavy plate in his hands, he spun around to search for _someone._ An excited smile immediately blossomed across his face when he noticed the brunette sitting at a table at the farthest end of the hall. Chanyeol ignored the curious stares directed his way as he made his way to his target. The gears in his mind ground into action as he reviewed his game plan, drowning out everything else for him.

“Good morning Baekhyun,” he greeted silkily, sliding soundlessly into the chair beside the startled male.

Baekhyun jumped, but he responded with a warm and wide-eyed smile when he realized that it was the new Seeker. “Morning, Chanyeol,” he nodded pleasantly. “Did you not sleep well? You look kind of tired.”

“Mmm, falling asleep was kind of hard. New environment and all,” Chanyeol yawned, rubbing the back of his neck. “I hope you had a better rest than I did.”

“No, not really,” Baekhyun sighed, reaching out for his coffee. “I’m going to need several cups of this to get me through the day.”

Chanyeol cast him a sympathetic smile, pushing his own cup of coffee towards Baekhyun. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow in amusement and opened his mouth as if to say something, but he was interrupted with a low and velvety voice.

_“Hello.”_

Chanyeol felt a swift breeze graze his arm before looking up in surprise to see a slender male seated across the table from them. With both of his hands wrapped around a steaming mug of chamomile tea, he stared at Chanyeol with a blank but unnerving stare. Chanyeol only blinked in confusion, alarmed by the intense waves of hostility radiating off the newcomer.

“Hello Sehun,” Baekhyun greeted smoothly. “This is Chanyeol, our new member. He just checked in yesterday evening. Chanyeol, this is my assistant, Sehun.”

“Hey Sehun. Nice to meet you,” Chanyeol extended his arm for a handshake, but Sehun merely gave it a disinterested stare. He took a long sip of his tea, watching as Chanyeol withdrew his hand slowly and awkwardly.

“Don’t mind Sehun. He’s a man of few words,” Baekhyun shot Sehun an amused look, but his eyes twinkled with a subtle warning. “He’s kinda rude, but he means no harm.”

Chanyeol forced a tight-lipped smile. “It’s okay, I understand. Sometimes I’m really grumpy in the mornings too.”

“I’ll introduce you to more people after breakfast,” Baekhyun offered, and his gentle voice seemed to bring on a calming effect. Chanyeol relaxed his jaw and rearranged his features into an eager grin.

“That will be great,” he replied, hoping that the other Seekers would be at least more tolerable. Playing nice was proving to be an exhausting act, and he was feeling the strain not even a day in.

“So Chanyeol,” Baekhyun began, brushing aside the tense atmosphere between Chanyeol and Sehun. “Why did you become a Seeker?”

Noticing Chanyeol’s nervous eye-twitch, he quickly continued. “I apologize if I’m being too intrusive, but I can’t help but be curious. Everyone has their own story, so what’s yours?”

Chanyeol sighed inwardly. Gently rubbing his _borrowed_ ring under the table, a torrent of foreign memories flooded his mind all at once. He shut his eyes for a while to focus more clearly, sucking in a sharp breath at the gruesome final memory. Chanyeol felt a small, unexpected tinge of pity for the Seeker that he had burnt alive. Apparently, the poor fella’s name was Hyuk—a fact that he only learnt from sifting through the Seeker’s memories.

“The same reason why everyone else chooses to become one,” he replied smoothly, sawing his pancakes into bite-sized pieces. “To rid the world of _vermin_ ,” he spat the last word harshly, channeling the exact same tone that Hyuk had used back then. “I wasn’t particularly motivated by any life-changing or tragic backstory, if you were wondering about that,” he paused to shoot Baekhyun a rueful smile. “It was more of a… spontaneous decision one day. Immortality gets boring after a while, you know? I thought to myself that it would be more meaningful if I spent my time being of some use to the community.”

“So you see yourself as a guardian of the human race?” Sehun finally spoke up, his eyes twinkling with barely concealed mirth.

“Well,” Chanyeol cleared his throat. “Isn’t that what being a Seeker is all about?”

“Oh yes,” Sehun took another sip of his tea while he affixed Chanyeol with an amused stare. “But not everyone has noble reasons like yours. Take me as an example. I became a Seeker not because I wished to be a protector. I was simply motivated by bloodlust.”

_“Bloodlust?”_

“Nothing pleases me more than ripping the _rebels_ into shreds. With my bare hands,” Sehun added with a proud smirk. “To put it bluntly, I enjoy violence.”

Chanyeol felt bile rise up his throat as he locked his jaw tightly together.

_Rebels. The Condemned. Soul Vampires._

Those were some of the many names given to the faction that had revolted against the Sorcerer community centuries ago, during the War of Rovina. Stripped of their immortal souls as a punishment, they turned to feeding on human souls as their primary form of sustenance. That was where the term _Soul Vampires_ came from, although Chanyeol didn’t exactly appreciate that nickname. To be compared to imaginary creatures that sparkled in the sunlight— _no thank you!_ The term _‘Condemned’_ may bring with it negative and derogatory connotations, but at least it was an appropriate name. After all, they were in fact, forever condemned to lead a pathetic existence, reduced from powerful beings to creatures shunned and despised by everyone.

When the Elders decided to punish the rebels by ripping out their immortal souls, they never expected that the Condemned would find their salvation in human souls. It was a punishment that brought with it unexpectedly devastating consequences. The Condemned feasted on human souls to replenish their energy—an act which, at its peak, caused a widespread pandemic also known as the Black Plague. As a result, an elite group of Sorcerers banded together to hunt and eradicate the Condemned. They called themselves the _Seekers_ , and that name stuck with them throughout the centuries, even as they expanded to keep up with the proliferation of the rebel faction. No one understood how the Condemned managed to multiply so rapidly in strength and numbers, but one thing was certain.

They needed to go.

 _Black and white, good and evil, darkness and light._ A perpetual war between the Seekers and the Condemned—a war fought silently within the shadows, and a war with no foreseeable end in sight.

However, Chanyeol was determined to change all that. The end was near, and the game would be over soon.

_He was going to make sure of it._

“Becoming a Seeker for all the wrong reasons,” Baekhyun shook his head at Sehun’s words. “Which explains why he isn’t allowed to go on Hunts anymore. He has been helping me run the Albergo ever since.”

“And you? Were you a Seeker from the start?” Chanyeol quickly directed the attention to Baekhyun, praying that his tense voice did not betray the turbulent emotions swirling in his chest.

“I was never one. I just run this hotel for Seekers,” Baekhyun shook his head. “If you want to associate with the _genuinely_ righteous Seekers,” Baekhyun chuckled pointedly, which earned him an eye-roll from Sehun. “You may want to make friends with Jongin.”

“Jongin?”

“Or you may actually know him better by his alias, _Kai_ ,” Baekhyun laughed, tilting his head. “Does that ring a bell?”

Chanyeol immediately turned rigid, as if all his blood had frozen over in his veins. His heart thumped so violently and erratically in his chest, it was a wonder he managed to keep his expression neutral.

_Kai._

_Of course that name rang a fucking bell._ Who wouldn’t know Kim Kai, the most powerful Seeker of all time?

"Kai," Chanyeol repeated dryly, feeling a lump form in his throat. "Of course I know who he is.”

"He's very kind and friendly," Baekhyun continued. "He'll definitely be glad to guide you along. Who knows, one day you might actually be assigned on a Hunt with him!"

"That would be a huge honor," Chanyeol injected as much enthusiasm as he could into his voice, but it still ended up sounding rather flat to his own ears.

Chanyeol had always prided himself on being an adept actor, but even the best actors fail to filter out their personal emotions from time to time. Attempting to sound upbeat was probably the hardest thing to do, especially when he felt like a dormant volcano waiting to erupt.

"Oh, speak of the devil. There he is,” Baekhyun's eyes lit up in surprise as he gestured towards the entrance. "Late, as always. Guy loves his bed a little too much."

Chanyeol turned around so fast, he probably got whiplash. Awe was the last emotion he expected to feel when he set his eyes on the Adonis-like creature with beautiful bronze skin and tousled black hair. Kai walked with slow, leisurely steps, as if he had not a single care in the world. He had a countenance and aura that was oddly fascinating to behold, and it was evident that everyone else in the Grand Hall felt the same way as well. The background chatter quietened for a brief moment upon his arrival, and the momentary silence was akin to a display of respect and reverence.

Kai was a name that inspired either feelings of admiration or bloodied wrath. With this guy, there were always only two extremes—you either love him, or you don't. It did not come as a surprise that his biggest adversaries were none other than the Condemned, who have lost many of their comrades to the merciless Seeker.

Chanyeol had always expected to meet Kim Kai under less-than-pleasant circumstances, which made watching him do something as mundane as waiting in line at a breakfast buffet even more jarring than the prospect of chaos and bloodshed.

"Are you sure it's his bed that he loves?" Sehun interjected with an amused smirk. "Or what he _does_ on his bed with his little human _pet_?"

"Hey," Baekhyun frowned in disapproval. "You know he gets upset when you use that word."

"Fine," Sehun sighed. "His human _lover_."

Chanyeol dropped his knife with a clatter, unable to decide if he had heard wrongly. To say that he was shocked was a gross understatement, because he was flabbergasted, appalled, and confused as hell.

 _A human lover?_ Now that was news.

Baekhyun burst out laughing at Chanyeol’s reaction. “It’s… complicated.”

“But a human?” Chanyeol said incredulously. “How? And _why_?”

“Now _that_ is something I cannot understand as well,” Sehun commented dryly. “I don’t think anyone understands, to be honest. But it’s Kai we’re talking about, so we just shut our mouths and let him do whatever he likes. Doesn’t mean we approve though.”

“But a human in the Albergo?” Chanyeol continued, sounding scandalized. “Does the… does the Council know?”

Baekhyun smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “They don’t. It’s an unspoken agreement to keep this a secret for Jongin. I’m sure they will find out sooner or later, but we’ll deal with that mess when it comes.”

“But do we _really_ want to let this go on any longer, Baek? You know very well that when they find out, _you_ are the one who’s going to get in the most trouble,” Sehun shot him a pleading look, and it was evident from his tone that this was a conversation that they have had a lot in the past.

“There is no harm in letting his lover stay here,” Baekhyun replied indignantly. “He’s sweet and has never caused us any trouble since he arrived.”

Chanyeol blinked. “How long has this been going on for?”

“Almost two years?” Baekhyun replied. “But I hope you won’t judge Jongin for this, Chanyeol. He’s a good soul and a dedicated Seeker.”

Sehun scoffed aloud. “Just because he’s the best Seeker doesn’t mean he’s entitled to break the rules like that. There are clear lines that shouldn’t be crossed, and it just isn’t right for a Sorcerer to be involved with humans in a romantic way.”

“Says the one who became a Seeker for the thrill of it,” Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Since when did you care for rules or morality?”

“I care if his selfishness is going to cause you problems,” Sehun shrugged, casting Baekhyun a serious look. “Kai can go fuck himself.”

“Give him a break, Sehun. Are you really that heartless to want to tear apart two people who are in love?”

“Human beings have an expiry date,” Sehun shook his head. “Eventually, they will be torn apart by forces beyond their control. If you really care about him, do _not_ encourage his foolishness, Baek.”

_“Don’t worry about me, Sehun. Worry for yourself instead.”_

Chanyeol almost fell off his chair when Kai materialized in the chair beside Sehun, sporting a lazy but challenging smirk. Up close, Chanyeol could see the faint scars decorating Kai’s face, as well as his unusual gold eyes. Those were the eyes of a hardened predator—intense and steady, taunting but captivating. It would be a lie to say that Chanyeol didn’t feel the sudden wave of chills that crept up his spine.

“Hey there. Is that a new face I see?” Kai turned his attention to Chanyeol, whose senses were on full alert.

“Hello, I’m Chanyeol,” Chanyeol was quick to flash him a charming grin. “It’s such an honor to finally meet you.”

Kai bit into his apple with a loud crunch as he gave Chanyeol a quick scan. “You look promising,” he smiled good-naturedly. “What are your abilities?”

“I wield fire.”

 _“Oh?”_ Kai leaned forward, eyes twinkling with a mixture of curiosity and interest. “That’s really rare.”

“Where’s your _pet_?” Sehun cut in snidely, intent on ruffling Kai’s feathers. “Aren’t the two of you constantly stuck by the hip? Lover boy too tuckered out to join you for breakfast today?”

Kai sucked in a deep breath and shot Sehun a dirty look. “Thank you for your concern,” he said sarcastically. “But Kyungsoo will be joining me in a minute. If you can’t stand the sight of us, you might want to make yourself scarce soon.”

 _Kyungsoo_.

Chanyeol choked on his coffee and simultaneously dropped the cup that he was holding. The beverage spilled all over his lap, staining his jeans. He coughed violently, mind reeling at the all too familiar name ringing in his ears. A heavy sense of nausea washed over him as he felt hot tears prick his eyes. He didn’t know whether it was from the coughing or the emotional tornado in his mind, but it didn’t really matter.

Kyungsoo was too painful a name to recall, and he had to suppress a sardonic laugh at the fact that Kai’s human lover had the same name as his best friend.

If Kyungsoo was still _alive_ , he would definitely have laughed with Chanyeol.

“Are you okay?” Baekhyun patted his back anxiously while Chanyeol coughed his lungs out.

“I should go grab a change of clothes,” Chanyeol stood up hastily, knowing that if he didn’t make his exit soon, he wouldn’t be able to hide his distress. “Please excuse me.”

He spun around and walked away, clenching his shaking hands into two tight fists by his side. Blinded by a dizzying sense of grief, he kept his eyes trained on the ground as he made his way to the doors. Chanyeol _really_ needed to get out of there fast, before the tears threatened to betray him. Hearing his best friend’s name savagely ripped apart healing wounds, and it was at the Albergo, no less.

_That only made it hurt a hundred times worse._

It wasn’t until he collided harshly with someone that he was rudely awakened from his emotional stupor. Chanyeol raised his head to shoot the other party a dirty glare, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw next.

 _Do Kyungsoo,_ staring back at him with those familiar round eyes, looking every bit as shell-shocked as he was. 

Chanyeol lost his balance and fell to the ground. His eyes were wide with disbelief, stinging with unshed tears. He tried to convince himself that his eyes were playing tricks on him, but it was of no use. The person standing in front of him was unmistakably Kyungsoo.

_And he was supposed to be dead._

Hurt and confusion were the only emotions running through his veins as he stared at Kyungsoo with a torn expression. He could not piece together the jumbled mess of thoughts in his mind, could not even begin to fathom this ridiculous situation.

However, the look of fear and guilt in Kyungsoo’s eyes only served to confirm his suspicions, and the sharpest stab of betrayal tore through his chest.

_“How could you?”_ Chanyeol’s shaky voice was no more than a whispery exhale, but he knew that Kyungsoo understood what he was saying anyway.

Kyungsoo felt as if his own legs were about to give way as well. Unable to hide his trembling form, he wrapped his arms around himself and stepped backwards slowly.

“You okay baby?” Kai appeared behind Kyungsoo, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Are you hurt anywhere?” he frowned worriedly at his lover’s pale face and unusual demeanor.

“I’m okay,” Kyungsoo mumbled softly in response, looking anywhere but at Chanyeol’s accusing eyes.

“I’m sorry, I should have watched where I was going,” Chanyeol forced a tight smile and hoisted himself to his feet. “Excuse me,” he nodded politely at Kai and left quickly without a backward glance.

Kyungsoo let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding and leaned against Kai’s chest for support. With a chilling realization, he thought to himself that this was the beginning of the end, for Chanyeol’s appearance at the Albergo was a terrible omen.

_With fire comes destruction, and there were no exceptions._

Kyungsoo could only pray that Chanyeol would be merciful with his flaming wrath.

\--

_“I’ve been expecting you.”_

Kyungsoo did not even need to turn his head to know that he was no longer alone in his room. Illuminated by nothing except the faint moonlight filtering in through his floor-length windows, Kyungsoo’s eyes followed the shadow on his carpet, watching as it travelled from the entrance to the foot of his bed.

 _“General Do,”_ came a bitter chuckle. “How have you been doing?”

Kyungsoo turned rigid, unable and unwilling to raise his head to look at the person standing in front of him. _How would he even begin to explain himself?_

“We thought the Seekers killed you,” a hand wrapped around Kyungsoo’s neck, forcing him to look up. “I lived the past few years believing that you were dead, but it seems that I was wrong.”

“Sorry,” came the only feeble reply from Kyungsoo while he struggled to breathe with Chanyeol’s fingers squeezing his throat.

Chanyeol released his grip abruptly. “Do you want to explain yourself? Is there something I’m misunderstanding?”

Kyungsoo buried his face in his hands, and that single act told Chanyeol everything he needed to know. Chanyeol exhaled in disappointment and anger.

 _“So,”_ he cleared his throat. “Has it been fun, masquerading as a human? Playing house with our greatest enemy?” he asked tauntingly, his voice sharp and acidic. “How could you do this?”

“I don’t know where I should begin,” Kyungsoo shut his eyes tightly. “Things didn’t turn out the way I expected them to. I’m sorry.”

“What does that mean? You’re one of them now? You’ve decided to defect to the enemy faction?”

“No!” Kyungsoo shouted, and his vehement response made Chanyeol jump in surprise. “My allegiance remains unchanging.”

“You know that makes zero sense, Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol barked, watching his friend flinch at his loud voice. “Why did you not return? Why would you willingly live amongst our enemies?”

There was a long and tense silence before Kyungsoo found the voice to speak again.

“I fell in love with Jongin.”

Chanyeol laughed darkly and shook his head in disbelief. “ _Love?_ We sent you out to kill Seekers and you fell in love with the worst possible candidate?”

“I’m sorry. I know I’m being selfish.”

“What you’re doing is a form of _betrayal!_ ” Chanyeol punched the wall in frustration. “Why? How could you?” he said shakily, revealing a flash of hurt.

It was not like he had never tasted betrayal in his life before, but that didn’t stop the bitter emotions from burning the back of his throat.

“Sometimes, love is not a conscious choice,” Kyungsoo said softly, his eyes sad and pleading.

“Bullshit,” Chanyeol said gruffly. “Only fools would let themselves be derailed by frivolous emotions.”

“I _am_ a fool,” Kyungsoo chuckled. “I never thought that this would happen to me.”

“Does he know?” Chanyeol asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Does he know who you are? _What_ you are?”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “He thinks I’m human.”

Chanyeol stared pointedly at Kyungsoo’s heavy eyebags and severely cracked lips. “So to sustain your lie, you’ve stopped feeding on human souls?” Chanyeol asked, but it was more of a statement than a question. “You’re not replenishing your life force anymore?” he said incredulously.

Without devouring human souls, the Condemned withered away slowly but surely, and the immortality that they once knew became nothing but a distant dream. They were reduced to fragile physical shells with an expiry date—not any different from the human beings they prey on.

“If being human is the only way I can stay by his side, I’m willing to make sacrifices.”

“I’m actually speechless right now,” Chanyeol pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think I can ever forgive you, Soo. I don’t think I understand.”

“But you’re here to right my wrongs, aren’t you? You’re here to finish what I started.”

“I’m here to end it all. I will obtain the _Talisman_ , and I will restore our former glory.”

Kyungsoo felt his chest constrict at the thought of all the bloodshed that would surely ensue. Even though he only chose to remain at the Albergo for Jongin, he had grown somewhat attached to the few friends that he had made over the past two years. Which was laughable, really, for he never expected that he could feel such tender human emotions.

In fact, it terrified him to realize just how far gone he was.

“I will need your help,” Chanyeol continued, affixing Kyungsoo with a predatory stare. “You’ve been at the Albergo for far longer than I have. I need you to be my eyes and my ears. I need you to tell me _everything_ you know,” his voice was low and serious. “Think of it as penance for your betrayal.”

“What if I refuse?” Kyungsoo jutted his chin out defiantly. He may be a mere vestige of his former glory, but he still didn’t appreciate being ordered around like a puppet. “I don’t want any role to play in this game of yours.”

“You will not refuse,” Chanyeol smiled confidently. “Because if you refuse, I will tell Kai about you. And then, I will pulverize him into ashes before your very eyes.”

 _“You wouldn’t,”_ Kyungsoo gasped. “It will do you no good to reveal our identities. You’re just trying to scare me. I won’t be manipulated like this.”

“Am I?” Chanyeol pretended to think. “But you know I never make empty threats.”

The sickest sense of dread clawed at Kyungsoo on the inside, devouring all rational thought.

_This was the beginning of an end._

He knew that should have seen this coming sooner, should have been prepared for it. He never should have allowed himself to fall in this deep.

But it was far too late for any regrets.

“Fine. I will help you, but on one condition,” Kyungsoo said slowly, standing up so that he could face Chanyeol fully. “If you promise to spare Jongin after everything is done, I will do anything you want me to.”

“Tough deal,” Chanyeol scratched his chin. “I always believed in an eye for an eye, you know? He killed so many of us,” he said bitterly. “But… I can accept this. In exchange for your help, I promise to spare your lover.”

Kyungsoo relaxed visibly. “Good. It’s a deal then.”

Chanyeol sat himself down by the windowsill and stared at his friend in amusement. “You can begin by telling me if I’m at the right place. Is the Talisman really hidden in the Albergo? Are the rumors true?”

Kyungsoo paused for a while before he nodded reluctantly. “I do not know its exact location, but it is here.”

“Any chance you could fish that information out from lover boy?”

“I doubt Jongin knows,” Kyungsoo shook his head. “But Byun Baekhyun probably does. He created this place, after all. The Albergo is his brainchild. Baekhyun keeps this hotel alive with his magic,” his eyes roamed around his spacious room. “I know the Council trusts him a lot. The Elders meet with him once every three months. I believe that Baekhyun is the Guardian of the Talisman.”

 _“Baekhyun?”_ Chanyeol repeated with a smirk. “I had a hunch he would be useful.”

“Right. If you need information, getting close to Baekhyun would be your best bet. He definitely knows about the Talisman.”

“So my plans are all falling in place nicely. Perfect,” Chanyeol noted gleefully. “I’ll need your help moving forward, of course. Tell me everything you know about Baekhyun. Teach me how to gain his trust.”

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but feel a small stab of guilt. Other than Jongin, Baekhyun was the nicest person to him in the Albergo. He was the only one who seemed to truly accept and welcome a ‘human’ into the hotel. Whenever Jongin would leave on a Hunt, Baekhyun was the only one who would drop by his room to keep him company, bringing with him snacks and little trinkets to keep Kyungsoo entertained. It was strange to call Baekhyun his friend, but that was what they were.

And now he was going to have to betray him. _How very ironic._

However, if that meant he could keep Jongin safe, then he would not hesitate. Jongin was his number one priority, after all.

“I will tell you all that you need to know about Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo said in defeat, watching as a triumphant look blossomed across Chanyeol’s face. “But Chanyeol? You shouldn’t underestimate Baekhyun,” he added as an afterthought.

Chanyeol shrugged half-heartedly, paying his words no heed at all. With his chess pieces falling into strategic positions so smoothly at the start of the game, Chanyeol was certain that there would be no cause for concern.

_And he would find victory at the end of it all._

\--

It took Chanyeol a few days to reorganize the game plan to his satisfaction. Now that he could confirm that Byun Baekhyun was the most important centerpiece of his scheme, he needed to be meticulous with every step and detail. The subtle art of seduction was something that came naturally to Chanyeol, and he was more than confident that Baekhyun would be putty in his hands.

Chanyeol made it a ritual to sit with Baekhyun every morning for breakfast, even though Sehun’s watchful presence made it difficult for him to say or do anything remotely suspicious. However, Baekhyun made for an unexpectedly charming conversation partner, and there was never a dull or awkward moment between them. Which was truly a huge pity, for Chanyeol had a feeling that they would have been great friends in an alternate universe.

It was too bad they had to be enemies in this one.

“What are you doing after breakfast?” Chanyeol asked, smiling at Baekhyun expectantly.

“Me? I’m going to the nursery. I haven’t visited my babies in a while.”

Chanyeol spat out his mouthful of orange juice. _“Babies?”_

“Roses,” Baekhyun laughed loudly. “We have a nursery for roses,” he explained, using a napkin to dab at the corners of Chanyeol’s mouth.

Sehun pulled a face at Baekhyun’s gesture but said nothing.

“Oh,” Chanyeol mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed for overreacting. He took the napkin from Baekhyun and smiled sheepishly. “Thank you, I’ll do it myself.”

“You can come with me if you want to,” Baekhyun offered kindly.

“Really? I’d love to,” Chanyeol’s eyes lit up enthusiastically. “Honestly, I was planning to tag along even if you hadn’t invited me,” he laughed. “I’ve been dying to explore the Albergo.”

“Oh, you should have said so earlier! I’d be glad to take you around.”

“He can explore the Albergo on his own. He’s not a baby,” Sehun interjected with an annoyed frown.

Baekhyun kicked Sehun’s shin under the table. “Don’t be rude.”

“Whatever,” Sehun stood up abruptly, his chair scraping noisily against the freshly polished hardwood floors. “I’m out of here. Have fun with each other,” he said sarcastically.

Baekhyun stared at Sehun’s back and let out an exasperated exhale. “I don’t understand why he’s being like this.”

 _It’s not like I don’t know what I’m doing,_ he thought to himself.

“I think he’s jealous,” Chanyeol commented with a small smirk.

Baekhyun’s laughter sounded like the tinkling of melodious bells. “Jealous, huh?” he repeated in amusement. “Nah, I think he’s more worried than jealous.”

“Worried?” Chanyeol pretended to look affronted. “What, does he think I’m the big bad wolf or something? That I’m going to… eat you up?” he winked at Baekhyun.

“Maybe,” Baekhyun leaned forward and stared at Chanyeol squarely in the eye. _“Are you the big bad wolf?”_

Chanyeol held his gaze confidently, unperturbed by the fact that Baekhyun’s face was mere inches from his. “That’s for you to find out,” he said in a light, teasing manner.

Baekhyun shot him an amused grin. “I’ve got to be careful around you then.”

“I was kidding, I’m no wolf,” Chanyeol chuckled, shaking his head. “I think I’m more of a fox, like Nick Wilde in Zootopia. You’ve watched that movie, haven’t you?”

“I have,” Baekhyun nodded eagerly. “Nick’s cool, but I’ve always identified more with Judy.”

 _“Carrots!”_ Chanyeol gasped, and Baekhyun laughed brightly at the nickname. “So you’re optimistic, hardworking and righteous. How lovely.”

“And cute,” Baekhyun added, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

“Of course,” Chanyeol laughed obligingly. “Very, very cute.”

It wasn’t a lie, for Byun Baekhyun was indeed a very good-looking guy. With his soft brown hair, kind eyes and cutely shaped lips, Chanyeol had to admit that he was a mesmerizing sight to behold.

“Come, I’ll take you to the nursery,” Baekhyun set down his cutlery and gestured for Chanyeol to follow him.

Chanyeol quickly gulped down the rest of his orange juice and trailed after Baekhyun eagerly, like an overly-excited puppy following his beloved owner on a stroll. To everyone else, Park Chanyeol was nothing more than a harmless newbie Seeker with a crush on the heart and soul of the Albergo. It was an endearing concept, and no one really bothered to question why Chanyeol wanted to hog so much of Baekhyun’s time and attention.

The stroll to the nursery from the Grand Hall was a rather long one, but it didn’t bother Chanyeol the slightest bit. After all, he needed all the time he could get to interact with Baekhyun. Baekhyun was chatty and enthusiastic as they walked through the various Wings, pointing out the different facilities that the hotel offered. At some point, Chanyeol began to feel like he was walking through a never-ending maze, for the Albergo was just _that_ big and complicated to navigate.

When they finally arrived on the rooftop, Chanyeol was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the sight of a massive greenhouse. He was able to see the impressive assortment of colored roses through the pristine glass walls, and the blooms seemed to wave at him invitingly, as if begging him to go closer.

He let out an amazed exhale as he followed Baekhyun through the entrance of the nursery. The air smelt of sweet, sweet roses—an exquisite scent which left his senses tingling and his heart full. “This is beautiful,” he gushed genuinely.

How long had it been since he experienced such a pure and rousing beauty? _Too long. Too fucking long._

“A rose for you?” Baekhyun picked a purple stalk and placed it in Chanyeol’s hands.

“Oh no, you shouldn’t have,” Chanyeol blinked in surprise, staring at the tender petals of the unusually colored rose.

“Don’t worry about it,” Baekhyun laughed at Chanyeol’s expression. _“Look.”_

Chanyeol’s eyes widened when he realized that a new stalk had mysteriously appeared where the previous one had been plucked from. It was as if it had been there for forever, untouched and unchanging.

“These roses… they aren’t real?” he cast Baekhyun a confused look.

“They are illusions. Tangible ones. _Nothing_ in the Albergo is truly real, per se,” Baekhyun smiled at him, and there was the faintest hint of sorrow in his eyes. “They are just very intricately designed illusions.”

“But don’t you think that illusions are kinda… sad? It’s like living a lie.”

Baekhyun did not respond. He continued walking, humming a soft tune to himself. It was like he had suddenly become lost in his own world, oblivious to everything except the beautiful roses that he had so carefully created.

Chanyeol shuffled after him slowly, careful not to disturb anything within Baekhyun’s sanctuary. Gently caressing the fresh petals of the rose in his hand, his expression turned grave and thoughtful. It definitely wasn’t a small feat to reproduce tangible mirages, and to maintain it in such a pristine form throughout several centuries—that was remarkable and simply unheard of. No wonder the Council chose to hide the Talisman within the Albergo. With such a powerful Guardian keeping it under his supervision, they had nothing to worry about.

“If you believe in an illusion hard enough, it can be real. It can become the realest thing you ever know,” Baekhyun turned around to face Chanyeol, and there seemed to be an untouchable sadness in the way he smiled. “There is a very thin line between what is considered real and what isn’t. Cross it, and you won’t be able to tell the difference at all.”

“That is a very interesting line of thought,” Chanyeol stepped closer, tucking the stalk of rose behind Baekhyun’s ear. Baekhyun blinked at him in surprise, feeling Chanyeol’s warm breath fan across his cheeks. “You’re right, illusions can be as beautiful as the real deal. I think your illusions are absolutely magnificent.”

“Really?” Baekhyun’s eyes lit up with an indecipherable emotion. “Thank you,” he said tenderly.

Chanyeol beamed back at him in response, his heart stirring at the peacefully happy aura that Baekhyun was beginning to exude. “Shall we head back now? The sun is getting a little too strong for my liking,” he squinted in the bright sunlight, holding his hand out to Baekhyun in a very natural manner.

Baekhyun stared at Chanyeol’s outstretched hand for a long while, looking contemplative and slightly amused. Finally, he gingerly placed his hand in Chanyeol’s and gave it a small squeeze. “Let’s go.”

Chanyeol shivered from the disturbing sensation of Baekhyun’s icy hands. He directed some heat energy to his palms, hoping that he could help warm it up quicker.

“Why are your hands always so cold?” he asked, unable to contain his bubbling curiosity.

“Are they? I never noticed.”

Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun with a thoughtful expression, but he chose not to say anything else. Just like that, they walked hand in hand back to the main building of the Albergo, neither of them knowing that this was the start of a very dangerous game.

\--

“Do you know anything about Baekhyun’s background?”

Kyungsoo trembled in the chilling night breeze, bemoaning his choice to wear only a thin cardigan to meet Chanyeol on the East Wing rooftop. The East Wing was one of the less-populated Wings of the Albergo, and no one ever went up on the roof. This made it a perfect rendezvous point for the both of them, who only ever interacted on the sly during the quietest hours of the night.

“What do you want to know?” Kyungsoo asked, casting Chanyeol a grateful look when he shifted his body to shield Kyungsoo from the harsh winds. He was admittedly thankful that Chanyeol had not completely forsaken their friendship. After all, they go back an extremely long way, each one of them heavily indebted to the other for their lives.

“Do you know anything about why he created the Albergo?”

“No,” Kyungsoo responded honestly. “He does not talk much about himself.”

“He’s a fascinating person,” Chanyeol rubbed his chin in amusement. “He’s so… deep and mysterious. I feel like he has a spectacular backstory to match his enigmatic personality.”

“Why do you say so?”

“Haven’t you noticed? He has this sadness in his eyes,” Chanyeol exhaled, watching his breath billow like smoke in the frigid air. “Like he’s hiding a heavy secret inside himself.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever realized,” Kyungsoo cocked his head thoughtfully. “He always looks so happy to me.”

“Of course you don’t notice, you’ve always been so unobservant,” Chanyeol shot back. “I wonder why they made you General instead of choosing me back then. I always thought I was a better candidate for the role.”

Kyungsoo could not help but snigger at Chanyeol’s expression. “You were always the reckless one between us both. You never thought things through before you said or did anything,” he shook his head as their memories came flooding back. It all seemed like a really long time ago now. “Besides, you never wanted to be General. You hated responsibilities.”

“Funny how the tides have turned, huh?” Chanyeol muttered, his tone flat and acidic. “Today, you stand before me as a reckless and irresponsible traitor who deserted his duties for _love_ ,” he pulled a sour face. “After your supposed death, they asked me to replace you as General. Everyone thought you died at the hands of our enemies,” Chanyeol shut his eyes, focusing on the sound of his erratic heartbeat. “But I really don’t know what hurts more—thinking that you were dead, or seeing you again as a traitor.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Saying sorry isn’t useful at all,” Chanyeol sighed loudly. “What is useful, however, would be your full cooperation. That’s the least you can do for me now.”

“I know,” Kyungsoo mumbled, bowing his head. “What do you want me to do?”

Chanyeol thought about it for a moment. “Speak with Sehun. I want to know why he is so uptight about Baekhyun. He acts a little too overprotective for an _‘assistant’_ ,” Chanyeol dug his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “I believe there is more to their relationship than that. I need to know if there’s anything I can use against them.”

Kyungsoo laughed loudly, like he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. “Oh Sehun hates me! He sees me as an eyesore. He’d never willingly come within a two-meter radius of my presence, let alone talk to me,” he waved his hand dismissively. “And if you are thinking that they are in some sort of romantic relationship, I can tell you that they aren’t. Things are strictly professional between them.”

“That’s where you are wrong. Sehun has some sort of feelings for Baekhyun, I am sure of it.”

“Even if he does, I’m sure Baekhyun doesn’t reciprocate,” Kyungsoo responded with a shrug.

“You don’t understand. He hovers around us like a fly whenever I try to interact with Baekhyun. He’s like a concerned parent chaperoning his child! It grates on my nerves so much,” Chanyeol ruffled his hair in frustration. “It’s so bloody difficult for me to carry out my plans if he’s almost always around. I feel like that Sehun guy is on to me. I _have_ to get rid of him one way or another before it’s too late.”

“I honestly don’t think you have to worry about Sehun.”

“You need to see the way he looks at me. It’s like he _knows_. I can’t take the risk,” Chanyeol paced around restlessly.

“A guilty conscience making you paranoid, maybe?”

Chanyeol shook his head firmly. “I want you to think of a way to get rid of Sehun. You’ve always been the better strategist between the two of us.”

“I don’t—,” Kyungsoo began, but his voice trailed off when he noticed someone walking towards them.

“Jongin,” he whispered, and Chanyeol froze on his spot.

_Crap crap crap crap crap._

“Soo,” Jongin called out anxiously as he jogged towards them. “What are you doing out here so late at night?”

He removed his windbreaker and wrapped it around Kyungsoo tightly. “I woke up and you weren’t sleeping beside me. Do you know how worried I was? What are you doing all the way here with…,” he squinted at Chanyeol’s face. _“Chanyeol?”_ he exhaled curiously.

“Hey Kai! I um… I called Kyungsoo here because I—”

“He wanted to talk about Baekhyun. Chanyeol has a _huge_ crush on him,” Kyungsoo quickly interrupted, hinting with his eyes for Chanyeol to follow along. “He wanted to ask me for some tips on how to make Baekhyun fall for him,” he laughed naturally. “I told him to just be himself.”

“Oh!” Kai whistled, snapping his fingers together. “Chocolates. Baekhyun loves chocolates. If you get him chocolates, I’m sure he’ll fall in love with you in an instant,” he said jokingly.

“I wish it were that easy,” Chanyeol laughed, shaking his head. “And I’m so sorry for making Kyungsoo come all the way here. I didn’t want anyone to overhear our conversation.”

“You didn’t want anyone to know that you’re crushing on Baek?” Kai stared at him amusedly. “But I think everyone can tell. You aren’t very subtle with your feelings, you know? Always following him around and all. I won’t be surprised if Baekhyun picked up on it himself already.”

“Huh?” Chanyeol pretended to scratch his neck awkwardly. “I… I hope he hasn’t. That’s embarrassing.”

“What, are you actually blushing?” Kai laughed loudly. “There’s nothing embarrassing about falling in love, you should pursue him bravely. I’m sure you can move him with your sincerity.”

“You think so?” Chanyeol responded with a hopeful voice. “I was thinking of asking him out on a proper date one of these days. Do you think Baekhyun will fancy getting a chocolate sundae together? I know there’s a famous ice cream parlor two streets from the Albergo.”

Kai’s expression suddenly turned grave. “That’s not a very good idea, Baekhyun doesn’t leave the Albergo. You should think of something else. Maybe you can ask him to go bowling with you? There’s a very nice bowling alley in the South Wing.”

Chanyeol blinked at him in confusion. “What do you mean by that? Baekhyun doesn’t leave the Albergo?”

“He _never_ leaves the Albergo,” Kai corrected himself.

“But why?” Chanyeol pressed. _Now this was getting more and more interesting._ “Is he not allowed to? Or does he choose not to?”

“Hmmm, a mixture of both, I guess,” Kai eyed him thoughtfully. “Don’t ask any more questions. Just know that Baekhyun doesn’t leave. It would be good to plan all your dates within the Albergo. There’s everything you can ever want and need inside here anyway.”

“Okay,” Chanyeol nodded slowly, knowing not to push his boundaries any further. “Thank you so much,” he said appreciatively. “I’m so sorry for keeping you both up so late at night, you guys should head back and rest.”

“No problem,” Kai wrapped an arm around Kyungsoo and held him against his body. “Good luck with Baekhyun,” he winked.

Chanyeol stared after their retreating forms, smiling to himself as he gnawed on the newfound piece of information. He still didn’t know what to make of this intel, but he felt triumphant nonetheless.

He was one more step closer to unravelling the mystery that is Byun Baekhyun— _how very exciting._

\--

“Do you want to go bowling with me?” Chanyeol asked one evening, surprising Baekhyun as he stepped out of his room. “Oh, I have really bad timing, don’t I?” he backtracked sheepishly, noticing Baekhyun’s damp hair and the faint scent of vanilla on his skin.

“No, not at all,” Baekhyun responded quickly, surprising Chanyeol with his answer. “I’d love to go bowling with you.”

“But didn’t you just take a shower? We can go tomorrow instead!”

“It’s alright, I can always take another shower,” Baekhyun laughed. “I’m glad you asked, actually. I’ve been wanting to go bowling.”

“Must be telepathy or something,” Chanyeol gushed excitedly, slinging an arm across Baekhyun’s shoulder. “But let me just give you a small heads-up—don’t cry when I win every single round. I’m _really_ good at bowling,” he flashed Baekhyun a proud grin.

“Hey hey, don’t speak too soon,” Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol teasingly. “I bowl well too.”

“Eh, we’ll see,” Chanyeol shot him a challenging smirk.

“I was actually headed to the Grand Hall for dinner,” Baekhyun stopped walking. “We could eat together if you haven’t already done so?” he flashed Chanyeol a charming grin.

“That sounds fantastic,” Chanyeol nodded his head vigorously. “So uh, is this like a date or something?” he cast Baekhyun a shy smile.

“If you want it to be,” Baekhyun laughed in a carefree manner. 

Chanyeol let out a small whoop of joy. “Woah, I actually scored a date with Byun Baekhyun,” he said cheerily, slyly interlacing their fingers together.

“Being a little too forward, aren’t you?” Baekhyun commented with a soft chuckle, but he allowed Chanyeol to hold him anyway. His heart thumped faster when he realized that Chanyeol was once again directing heat to his cold hands. It was a sweet gesture, and Baekhyun couldn’t help but flush a little. Genuine or not, it still felt nice to hold someone else’s hand in yours.

“That’s how I’m like. You should get used to it,” Chanyeol responded cheekily.

“Get used to it? What does that mean?” Baekhyun mused aloud.

“I’ve been thinking about this a lot,” Chanyeol suddenly grabbed both of Baekhyun’s hands and stared at him earnestly. “I like you, Baekhyun. I want to court you,” he smiled confidently. “I’ll be asking you out more often from now on, so you better be prepared!”

“You like me,” Baekhyun repeated with a small chuckle. “What do you like about me? You don’t even know me well enough.”

“Then give me the chance to get to know you better,” Chanyeol responded silkily. “You may think I’m being cheesy, but I fell in love with you at first sight. You’re all that I think about these days,” he gave Baekhyun’s hands a tender squeeze. “At this point, I’m still trying to figure out the full extent of my feelings, but you bring me a joy that no one has ever been able to. You’re special,” he brought Baekhyun’s fingers to his lips. “I _really_ like you.”

“What a smooth-talking Casanova,” Baekhyun shook his head in amusement, looking sufficiently impressed. “Sure, do whatever you want. I don’t give away my heart so easily anyway.”

“You say that, but you’ll be falling head over heels in love with me in a week or two,” Chanyeol winked.

“I guess we will find out if I do,” Baekhyun said in a sing-song manner, flashing him a teasing grin.

“Challenge accepted.”

\--

They decided to pack their dinner and eat it in the garden, where they could enjoy a peaceful meal in the gentle night breeze. Chanyeol called it a _‘Picnic Under the Stars’_ , graciously giving up his jacket to use as a makeshift mat for Baekhyun to sit on. It was a rather romantic setting, with fireflies dancing around them as they ate, and the testimony of the twinkling celestial bodies up above. Conversation was smooth and pleasant, filled with light-hearted laughter and playful bantering. Chanyeol had to remind himself constantly not to lose focus of his plans, for the easy nature of their interactions made it feel _real_ , like he was not actually executing a sinister plan behind Baekhyun’s back.

“You eat like a child,” Baekhyun laughed, reaching out to wipe away the sauce at the corner of Chanyeol’s lips. Chanyeol’s heart-rate quickened at the unexpected gesture, and he cursed himself for feeling such tender emotions.

Baekhyun reached out for a napkin to wipe away the sauce on his thumb, but Chanyeol swiftly grabbed his hand. Keeping his sultry eyes trained on the brunette, he popped the thumb into his mouth and began sucking.

Baekhyun let out a surprised hum, eyes widening at the sensual sight. Chanyeol’s gaze was intense and steady, dark yet captivating. Those were the eyes of a devil, and the dangerous devil was casting him the delicious look of temptation.

“I don’t like to waste food,” Chanyeol chuckled at the glazed over look in Baekhyun’s eyes.

“I don’t either,” Baekhyun replied with a mischievous smile. He leaned in slowly towards Chanyeol’s face, and before Chanyeol could understand what he was trying to do, Baekhyun licked a stripe across his lips.

_Fuck._

“You’re making this difficult for me, Baek,” Chanyeol admitted throatily as he verbalized his thoughts. “Didn’t know you were such a tease.”

“You were the one being a tease first,” Baekhyun shrugged casually and went back to his meal, like he had not just triggered the most intense wave of sexual tension between them.

Chanyeol huffed cutely but made no attempt to refute his words. They ate the rest of their dinner in a comfortable silence, each one of them lost in their own thoughts. The beautiful garden was an unexpectedly lovely location to dine at, away from the noise and hubbub at the Grand Hall. Chanyeol made a mental note to visit the garden more often when he needed a brief respite from interacting with Seekers.

“You know, Jongin told me that you met up with Kyungsoo the other day,” Baekhyun broke the silence, observing the way that Chanyeol fidgeted uncomfortably under his gaze.

“Oh,” Chanyeol scratched the tip of his nose. “What did he tell you?”

Baekhyun smiled at him in a secretive manner. “I didn’t know you and Kyungsoo were friends,” he said, ignoring Chanyeol’s question.

“I met him at the gym last week and we hit it off really well,” Chanyeol lied smoothly. “We have been hanging out since then.”

“I see,” Baekhyun nodded. “Yeah, I knew I wasn’t imagining things when I started smelling a tinge of fire on his clothes.”

Chanyeol paled. _“Fire?”_

“Yeah, fire,” Baekhyun’s lips tugged upwards. “At first, I thought it was from him spending too much time in the kitchen, but I swore that the smell had a really familiar note to it. It took me a few days to place my finger on the scent, and then I realized that he smelled like _you_.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened in alarm. _“I smell like fire?”_

“Of course you do!” Baekhyun laughed at Chanyeol’s bewildered expression. “Everyone carries with them a unique scent,” Baekhyun leaned in towards Chanyeol’s nape and inhaled deeply. “You smell like fire and smoke. It’s a very rich and distinct scent.”

Chanyeol shivered from the sensation of Baekhyun’s breath on the sensitive skin of his neck. “I never noticed that.”

“I think it’s just me, I have an extremely good sense of smell. Sehun smells like the ocean breeze, Jongdae smells like electricity, and Yixing smells like fresh lilies,” Baekhyun rested his chin in his palm. “I can recognize everyone by their scent. In fact, I notice a great deal of things with my nose,” he chuckled. “ _Nothing_ escapes me.”

“That’s an impressive ability,” Chanyeol remarked. A nagging sense of dread settled in the pit of his stomach as he wondered what else Baekhyun could have noticed. He would need to be much more careful when he roamed around the Albergo now. “What do you smell like then? What does light energy smell like?”

“Light energy… it smells like warm sunshine on a lazy afternoon,” Baekhyun took a whiff of his shirt. “But these days, I smell like you.”

“Oh?” Chanyeol grinned, ignoring the soft flutter in his chest. “Great, I like that we smell the same.”

“Fire and light are complementary abilities anyway. Without fire, there can be no light,” Baekhyun mused, staring at the dainty firefly resting on his index finger.

“Then aren’t we a match made in heaven?” Chanyeol wiggled his eyebrows at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, but he remained silent. He watched as the firefly gently flapped its wings and flew away, into the horizon where he could never reach.

“Since we are all friends, let’s hang out together more often. Jongin will be going on a Hunt next week and I don’t want Kyungsoo to feel lonely,” Baekhyun stood up and stretched out his limbs, which have gone numb from sitting on the ground for too long.

Chanyeol hopped to his feet as well, bouncing with an unusual spike of energy. “Sure,” he shot Baekhyun a soft and endearing smile. “But for now, you ready to go bowling?”

“Hell yeah,” Baekhyun laughed loudly, his eyes twinkling with a boyish excitement. “I’ve never been more ready.”

\--

One bowling date turned into two, two turned into three, and three turned into countless. It became their favorite thing to do on peaceful evenings, each one wanting to one-up the other at the sport. Chanyeol lost to Baekhyun the first-time round, and ever since then, his ego refused to let him rest. When they weren’t bowling, they took strolls around the garden, watched a movie or two at the in-house cinema, and baked chocolate chip cookies together. Everyone at the Albergo recognized that they were unofficially dating, for it seemed like Chanyeol and Baekhyun went _everywhere_ together.

“You okay with them being together like this?” Kai could not resist calling out to Sehun as he passed him by in the corridor.

“Mind your own business,” Sehun said flatly, roughly bumping his shoulder against Kai’s.

Kai laughed at Sehun’s reaction, but his expression turned serious. “I won’t be in the Albergo for a few weeks. I trust you’ll guard the Talisman well.”

“That goes without saying,” Sehun rolled his eyes. “Don’t make it sound like your presence is what keeps the Albergo safe. We both know that my abilities are comparable to yours, if not even stronger,” he smirked. “You, on the other hand, should be careful during your Hunt. Your complacent ass is going to get you killed one day.”

“Aw, that’s cute, are you worried about me?”

“No,” Sehun said, sounding disgusted. “I’m more worried about the fate of your _pet_ if you were to drop dead. He’s going to suffer without your backing.”

Kai pressed his lips into a thin line. “Take care of Kyungsoo for me when I’m gone. Don’t give him a hard time,” he said, placing his hand on Sehun’s shoulder.

Sehun immediately shrugged it off. “The only person I’m obligated to protect is Baekhyun.”

With that, he stomped off without a second word, leaving Kai smiling ruefully to himself in the middle of the corridor.

\--

It was a languid Thursday afternoon when Baekhyun pulled Chanyeol eagerly to the North Wing, and into the massive library. Chanyeol found himself enraptured by the sight of the floor to ceiling bookshelves, which were filled with books of every genre and subject matter. The musky smell of yellowing pages was a surprisingly pleasant one, and Chanyeol sucked in a deep breath. He felt like he was inhaling the very essence of wisdom and knowledge from the hundreds and thousands of books archived in the library.

“Amazing,” he exclaimed, spinning around to appreciate the architectural genius that went behind the place. The library was shaped like a dome, with opus sectile roman mosaics on the floor. The modular approach truly enhanced an individual’s point of reference vis-à-vis the immensity of the entire structure. It was obvious that Baekhyun adored ancient Roman architecture, for the oculus that Chanyeol remembered seeing in the hotel lobby was yet again present in the library. Bright natural light filtered in through the oculus, highlighting the dancing specks of dust in the air.

“Do you read?”

“Hmm, not really?” Chanyeol laughed. “I mean, yeah I do, but not a lot. It’s not exactly a pastime of mine.”

“Oh, you are missing out,” Baekhyun shook his head. “Do you have a favorite book?”

“Uh… Fifty Shades of Grey?” Chanyeol said teasingly. “Or maybe the Twilight series? Those books were really entertaining.”

“Huh,” Baekhyun frowned. “You don’t read any proper literature?”

“Nah, proper literature is long and boring. It’s not for me,” Chanyeol pulled a face. “When I read, I prefer light-hearted fiction. Things that are easy to digest and understand.”

“That’s where you are wrong. Literature is not all long and boring,” Baekhyun smiled, making his way to a ladder. “I can recommend you a few short stories. I think you’ll enjoy them.”

“Sure,” Chanyeol said, watching as Baekhyun climbed up the tall ladder. Baekhyun stopped twelve rungs up and pulled out a book from the shelf.

“Here, catch,” he called out, dropping the book from a height. Chanyeol immediately darted towards the falling book, catching it in the nick of time.

 _“The Garden of Forking Paths,”_ Chanyeol read off the dusty cover. “What’s this book about?”

Baekhyun climbed down the ladder and sidled towards Chanyeol. “Read it to find out. Give me your review after you finish,” he giggled at Chanyeol’s horrified expression.

“Do I have to?” Chanyeol’s eyes stared at Baekhyun with a quiet plea. “I don’t like burying my nose in books.”

“It’s a really short story. It’ll take you no more than three hours, even if you’re a really slow reader.”

“Fine, I’ll read it only because you recommended it,” Chanyeol sighed obligingly. “But did you really take me all the way to the library to show me this book?”

Baekhyun’s soft laughter reverberated off the walls of the library. “No, I was here to pick out a book for myself, actually.”

He turned around, as if looking for something, and jogged to another ladder at the far end of the room. Chanyeol’s brows furrowed together as he watched Baekhyun climb higher and higher. He knew he didn’t need to be, but he was worried nonetheless. Which was strange if he thought about it, because why should he be worried about Byun Baekhyun?

“Hey, be careful,” Chanyeol shouted, feeling his own palms turn clammy with cold sweat as Baekhyun reached the topmost rung. Baekhyun paused there for a long while, fingers combing through the dusty book spines.

 _“Hmm, is it not here? I thought it was on this shelf,”_ he heard Baekhyun mumble to himself as he searched for the right title.

“Ah, here it is!” he exclaimed after several minutes, pulling out an extremely thick and heavy-looking book. Chanyeol smiled at the excitement in his voice, but that smile turned into an anxious frown when he saw Baekhyun lose his balance on the ladder. Baekhyun teetered unsteadily on the rung as he tried to position his feet in a better position, and in that split second, he _fell._

 _“Baekhyun!”_ Chanyeol shouted in panic, sprinting towards him with outstretched arms. However, even his long legs were not fast enough, and Baekhyun crashed onto the ground with a deafening thud, knocking all the wind out of him.

“Ahhhh,” Baekhyun hissed in pain with his eyes shut tightly. He curled into a ball instinctively, clutching onto his right ankle. 

Chanyeol let out a deep sigh as he crouched down before Baekhyun. “You okay, Baek? Did you twist your ankle?” he asked anxiously.

“I think so,” Baekhyun mumbled, opening his eyes to see Chanyeol’s concerned frown.

“Come, I’ll take you to Yixing,” Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun into his arms, wondering if the Healer would be at his room at this time of the day.

“Wait, Chanyeol. The book,” Baekhyun reached out for the thick book that had fallen with him and hugged it to his chest.

Chanyeol carried Baekhyun bridal style and shuffled quickly towards the doors. Baekhyun clutched onto the front of Chanyeol’s shirt and buried his face in it. He was flooded with Chanyeol’s unmistakable scent—an addictive fragrance that left his senses tingling.

“You don’t have to take me to Yixing, I’ll heal in a couple of hours. Let’s not bother him with something as trivial as a sprained ankle,” Baekhyun spoke, rubbing comforting circles on Chanyeol’s arm. “A group of injured Seekers just came back from their Hunt this morning. He must be very busy right now. Just take me back to my room.”

Chanyeol nodded reluctantly. “You should have been more careful.”

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun said softly. “I’ll be okay.”

Chanyeol fussed over him the entire way back, darting into the pantry to grab some ice, and knocking on Kyungsoo’s door for some medicated balm. He knew that these physical injuries were nothing to powerful Sorcerers like Baekhyun, unlike human beings who might take up to a full week to completely recover. However, he couldn’t help but worry, realizing that he was unable to stand the idea of Baekhyun being in pain. It was something which he should have recognized as a red flag, something which should have reminded him to be careful before he fell deeper and deeper.

Chanyeol should have stopped before he confused acting with genuine emotions, but he didn’t.

_And that was his first and biggest failure._

Chanyeol pushed open the room door and gently placed Baekhyun on the bed. He moved to open the curtains, allowing the late afternoon sunlight to filter in. This was his first time in Baekhyun’s room, and he couldn’t help but be impressed by the tasteful yet minimalistic décor. He noticed that Baekhyun had placed the purple stalk of rose in a vase by his bed, and his lips turned upwards involuntarily.

“Come, let me help you apply some of that medicated balm,” Chanyeol sat at the foot of Baekhyun’s bed and carefully propped Baekhyun’s ankle on his lap.

“Thank you,” Baekhyun said, a small smile blossoming across his face.

Chanyeol unscrewed the cap of the medication and began massaging the balm into Baekhyun’s ankle, taking care not to exert too much force. Baekhyun ran his fingers tenderly through Chanyeol’s hair while he watched Chanyeol tend to his injury.

“Does it hurt?”

“No, not as much as before.”

“Good,” Chanyeol beamed, pressing his lips against Baekhyun’s ankle. “You’ll be much better in an hour or so. Just stay in bed and rest.”

Baekhyun laughed at the ticklish sensation. “Do you have a foot fetish or something?”

Chanyeol’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Why? Are you into that sort of thing?”

“Nah, I’m more into BDSM,” Baekhyun said teasingly, watching as Chanyeol’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Chanyeol laughed, looking around the room. “This doesn’t look like Christian Grey’s Red Room,” he mused. “Or is it behind those doors over there?” his eyes suddenly lit up when he noticed a door beside the bathroom, which looked like it was purposely designed to blend into the wallpaper.

He walked towards it curiously, running his hands across its edges. “Hey, why doesn’t it have a knob?” he poked and prodded at the rectangular entrance, but nothing budged.

_“Chanyeol, no!”_

Chanyeol turned around at Baekhyun’s alarmed voice, watching as Baekhyun hurtled out of bed and tripped on his swollen ankle. “Don’t open the door!” he stared at Chanyeol with wide and pleading eyes.

“Hey, be careful,” Chanyeol quickly carried Baekhyun back to bed, affixing him with a reproachful stare. “What’s wrong? What is behind the door?”

_Just what was it to have made Baekhyun react like that?_

Baekhyun bit his lip nervously. “There are very important things inside. You must never, ever open the door. Tell no one about this. You need to pretend you haven’t seen it.”

A bulb immediately lit up in Chanyeol’s mind. _The Talisman._

_The Talisman was hidden in Baekhyun’s room!_

Chanyeol felt like he could do a victory dance right there and then, unable to believe that he had actually located the elusive Talisman with this little effort. He had always expected it to be bolted in the deep basement, or perhaps hidden within a complicated labyrinth in the Albergo. However, for him to realize that the Talisman had actually been sitting in Baekhyun’s bedroom all along—

_Oh my fucking goodness._

Kyungsoo was right—Baekhyun was indeed the Guardian of the Talisman!

Chanyeol had to use every bit of his self-control to not burst out into triumphant laughter. He would leave the celebration to later, where he could gloat to his heart’s content in the privacy of his own room. Now that he knew where the Talisman was, all that was left to do was to figure out how he could open that damned door.

_And once that was done, it would be game over for the Seekers._

“Okay, I’ll keep it a secret,” Chanyeol nodded at him reassuringly. “But you really shouldn’t have leapt out of bed like that, you gave me such a scare!” he chided.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun relaxed visibly at his words. “Will you stay with me for the rest of the afternoon? We could read our books together in bed,” he changed the subject swiftly, pulling the heavy book into his lap.

“Sure,” Chanyeol stared at him in amusement, picking up his copy of _The Garden of Forking Paths._ “What’s your book about?”

“This?” Baekhyun ran his fingers across the thick leather cover. Inscribed on its front cover were what looked like ancient runes, a language that Chanyeol did not know how to read. “This is a history book. It chronicles the events leading up to the War of Rovina.”

 _“The War of Rovina,”_ Chanyeol repeated flatly, feeling a bitter taste at the back of his throat. “Why are you reading a history book? Isn’t that even more boring than literature?”

“History tells many stories,” Baekhyun flipped open the book, coughing from the dust particles flying everywhere. “And I find the War of Rovina a _very_ fascinating subject.”

“What’s so fascinating about it? I found it a depressing period. Too much chaos.”

_Too much pain._

“I was a first-hand witness of every single thing written inside this book,” he flashed Chanyeol a strange smile. “But I still like to read this from time to time. It makes me remember little details I have forgotten.”

Chanyeol pulled a face. “Why would you want to remember such a dark time?”

“Because I think a lot about what could have gone differently,” Baekhyun sighed gently, and Chanyeol noticed that tinge of sorrow in his distant eyes again.

“Tell me more,” Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun in interest.

“I disagree with how the Elders dealt with the situation back then,” Baekhyun smiled ruefully. “The way they punished the rebels made things worse, don’t you think? They could have shown them a little bit more mercy.”

Chanyeol’s mouth hung open in surprise. “You… you feel sympathy for the rebels?”

His heart was suddenly flooded with an unexplainable warmth.

“They were part of us, after all,” Baekhyun gripped the book tightly. “It hurts me to see us fighting our own people. The rebels were victims too.”

“You’re right,” Chanyeol nodded, clenching his teeth together subconsciously. “Lucas brainwashed everyone and made them his puppets. The rebels were misled into partaking in the uprising,” Chanyeol felt his heart rate accelerate from the pent-up fury boiling in his veins. At the end of the war, most of the rebels were ready to surrender and atone for their mistakes, but the Elders never gave them a chance to repent.

Chanyeol clearly remembered weeping sorrowfully in the middle of the battleground, wondering how he had been so foolish as to have believed in the lies that Lucas fed them with. Drenched in the blood of his own kind, he had never felt a stronger sense of pain and regret. He remembered their surrender, remembered how they were herded into the Main Square like unruly sheep, and he remembered the way that the Elders had looked at them.

_Like they were dirt under their shoe. Like they were the scum of the earth._

_“We’re all victims as well!”_ he had bellowed in fury back then, but the Elders did not see it that way. They made their decision in a swift and merciless manner, ripping the immortal souls out of the rebels in the cruelest fashion possible.

And as he collapsed to the ground with the most devastating pain in his chest, all the sadness and resentment made him choke up with tears. He remembered staring at the Elders bitterly before he blacked out from the agony, thinking to himself: _Why did you not give us a second chance? Why did you not allow us to atone for our sins?_

Chanyeol never understood why. Chanyeol could _never_ understand why.

When the rebels finally woke up, they realized that they had been banished, and that they had lost their magical abilities as well. It was a terrifying fall from grace, for a Sorcerer without their magic was nothing at all.

The despair and indignation they had felt back then was indescribable. To be burdened with the unshakeable guilt that the entire War had been their fault, and to have been coldly forsaken by their own people—it drove them insane.

The rebels roamed around with an excruciating pain in their chests, for a part of them had been ripped out—literally. The hollow within their bodies ached and thirsted for _something_ to replace where their immortal souls used to reside. It was an uncontrollable and ravenous kind of thirst—a completely unexpected side effect of the punishment. The rebels quickly learnt that human souls were an excellent form of nourishment, and they feasted on them to sustain their rapidly weakening bodies.

It was also like a huge _‘fuck you’_ to the Elders, who had always seen themselves as guardians of the human race. The rebels felt no remorse for their actions, for they thought it was an excellent way to send a message to their ex-kinfolk.

_This is why you shouldn’t have forsaken us._

Human souls became their fountain of youth and strength, and the rebels gradually mastered an alternative form of magic. It was a dark and twisted sort of magic—completely different from the powers which they used to harness. Chanyeol was able to master an imitation of his pyrokinetic abilities, although it never felt quite the same. It was like he had lost something forever, condemned to never recover it.

_And that was perhaps the most painful realization he had ever had._

Chanyeol watched as their faction grew more powerful with the passing of each day, but he had known back then that this tiny victory would not last. The Elders would never let them be, and he was right. They unleashed the _Seekers_ on them—a specialized task force charged with eradicating the _Condemned_ ones.

Chanyeol hated that they had to continue fighting a senseless war. He hated the fact that they were condemned to live a lonely and misunderstood existence.

But most of all, he hated that he could never seem to feel whole again, no matter how hard he tried. _No matter how many souls he fed on._

However, the rebels remained hopeful, for there were rumors that the Elders had sealed their souls into a _Talisman_. If they could get hold of that sacred object, they would be able to restore themselves back to their original glory.

Chanyeol was at the Albergo to reacquire what was rightfully theirs, and failure was not an option at all. After all, he was determined to recover their lost dignity and to avenge the deaths of his comrades.

“All I want is for this war to come to an end,” Chanyeol said honestly. “I’m growing tired.”

“I have a feeling it might be soon.”

Chanyeol pursed his lips curiously. “Why do you think so?”

Baekhyun laughed and gave a small shrug. “Read your book,” he said, effectively ending the conversation.

Chanyeol reluctantly flipped open the book, but his mind was elsewhere, running around in frantic circles. He never knew what to make of Baekhyun’s cryptic moods, and his words left Chanyeol with a chill.

Was the war really nearing an imminent end? Chanyeol could only hope that it would be true.

\-- 

An hour into pretending to flip through the book, Chanyeol succumbed to a heavy sense of lethargy and fell asleep. Baekhyun listened to his rhythmic breathing, feeling a sense of calm wash over him. The sun was slowly setting, spilling the last of its golden rays into the room. He slipped out of bed and stood by the windows for a while, allowing the comforting rays to kiss his skin. Baekhyun had always adored sunsets, but he also found its beauty a rather bittersweet one.

Turning back to glance at Chanyeol, he pulled the curtains close. Baekhyun carefully retrieved the book from Chanyeol's hands and placed it on the nightstand. _The Garden of Forking Paths_ —of infinite timelines and interconnected realities; Baekhyun could not help but wonder which fork he was now standing at.

He could not help but wonder if Chanyeol was here as a friend or as a foe.

Either way, Baekhyun knew that he was going to find out for himself.

A sudden cry of anguish made him jolt, and he watched as Chanyeol began thrashing about feebly under the sheets. _A nightmare,_ Baekhyun frowned at him in realization.

"Chanyeol?" Baekhyun reached out to shake him worriedly. He used the back of his hand to gently wipe the sweat off Chanyeol's forehead, surprised by how hot he felt to the touch.

Slipping back under the covers, he wrapped his arms around Chanyeol to comfort him. Baekhyun rested his head on Chanyeol’s chest, smiling to himself when Chanyeol's erratic breathing turned into a slower and more peaceful rhythm.

It was as if he had been lulled into a sweeter dream by Baekhyun’s presence.

_I like you._

Baekhyun recalled Chanyeol's little confession the other day, and he remembered the warm and fuzzy feelings that came surging to his chest. He had been appalled back then, not expecting that Chanyeol's words would have such an effect on him. He knew he needed to keep his heart separate from his rational mind, but it slowly turned into a difficult thing to do, especially when he had become so intoxicated by Chanyeol's addictive scent.

_Why oh why was he falling down the rabbit hole?_

A quick knock on his door shook him from his reverie, and he knew at once who it was. It was Sehun, bringing with him the unmistakable fragrance of ocean winds.

Baekhyun opened the door with a smile, only to be greeted with a concerned grimace.

"So you _are_ in your room," Sehun made a sound of disapproval. "I was wondering why you weren't at the Grand Hall for dinner. Got me worried sick for a moment."

"Oh, I was reading and I lost track of time," Baekhyun looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry."

"I figured,” Sehun shook his head with a small smile. “So I decided to pack dinner for you," Sehun held up the plastic container he was holding. "They are serving your favorite fish and chips today."

Baekhyun’s eyes widened appreciatively. "You’re the best,” he grinned. 

Baekhyun blinked in surprise when Sehun leaned forward and rested his forehead on his shoulder. "I miss you, Baek," Sehun's voice turned sad. "I worry about you all the time."

"You don't have to," Baekhyun stared at him guiltily.

"It's my duty to make sure you are safe. I can't put my mind at ease when you aren't where I can watch over you," Sehun's voice was soft and pleading. "Stop playing with fire. I don't want you to get burnt."

Baekhyun laughed. "You are the mighty _wind._ Why would you be afraid of a little fire? A small gust from you can surely put out any flame."

"But what if I can't reach you in time?" Sehun sounded strained and anxious.

"Then I will protect myself," Baekhyun's expression turned dark and serious. "I hope you don't forget that I am perfectly capable."

"I have never doubted it for a single second, but still—," Sehun trailed off when he heard soft snoring coming from the room. "Wait, don’t tell me _he’s_ inside,” he growled. “ _What the fuck?_ Don't you know how dangerous this is?" he whispered in agitation, looking ready to storm into the room and pull Chanyeol out by his collar. "Why would you bring him to _your room_ , of all places?”

Wind began billowing around them in angry torrents, and Baekhyun realized that he had never seen Sehun this upset before.

"I know what I'm doing," Baekhyun retorted sharply, but his voice was laced with a tinge of fear.

"You obviously don't understand the danger you are putting yourself in right now," Sehun sighed angrily. "What if he figures out your secret? What will you do?"

Baekhyun glanced over his shoulder at Chanyeol’s sleeping form. “Let’s not discuss this here,” he mumbled, quietly shutting the door behind him.

_“Baekhyun, there you are! I’ve been looking all over the place for you!”_

Heavy footsteps came thumping down the corridor, interrupting their conversation. It was Yixing, wearing a somber expression and a tense frown. All at once, Baekhyun felt an ominous aura settle in the air around them.

“What’s wrong?”

“They aren’t healing,” Yixing replied, lips pressed into a thin line. “Something is interfering with their healing process. I’ve never seen or experienced something like this before.”

  
“Who?” Sehun asked in confusion.

“Jongin and his team,” Baekhyun said knowingly, feeling his blood run cold with dread. “They just returned from their Hunt this morning.”

Baekhyun remembered greeting them at the entrance, shocked by how severe their injuries looked. Even Jongin looked like he was in shambles, but Baekhyun had not thought much of it. He did, however, notice the strangest scent clinging to their clothing. It was bitter and sulfurous, quite unlike anything he had ever smelled before.

“Come, I’ll take you guys to see for yourselves,” Yixing started walking towards the elevator. “Things don’t look too optimistic.”

They headed speedily towards the infirmary, and Baekhyun began to have an inkling of how serious things were when he detected the pungent smell permeating the entire East Wing. It was an insidious and overwhelming scent—something which hinted at terrible danger.

Kyungsoo was the first person he saw when they entered the infirmary. He was seated by Jongin’s bedside and sponging him down with a wet sponge. The other injured Seekers lay moaning in their own beds, and Baekhyun winced at the horrible cries coming from Junmyeon.

“What’s wrong with them?” Baekhyun exhaled shakily, realizing that everyone looked so much worse than when he saw them in the morning. “Why are they in so much pain?”

“Their bodies are weakening rapidly,” Yixing rushed towards Junmyeon to check his vitals. “They aren’t responding to my healing energy,” he explained, sighing in exasperation. “At this rate, they aren’t going to be able to see the next sunrise.”

 _“What?”_ Kyungsoo sprang up from his stool, toppling it with a resounding crash. His eyes were pleading and desperate, brimming with unshed tears. “What do you mean by that?”

“I can smell a foreign energy emanating from their bodies,” Baekhyun noted, walking towards Jongin’s bed. “I think they have been poisoned.”

“I suspected that too,” Yixing nodded in agreement. “But by what? What can affect them this severely?”

“Black magic,” Baekhyun replied gravely. “Something must have gone wrong during their Hunt. Did they say anything about what happened?”

“No, they don’t seem to be in a right state of mind,” Yixing shook his head. “The pain has made them delirious.”

Upon hearing the words _‘black magic’_ , Kyungsoo froze instantly. Staring at Jongin’s ashen lips and the faint blue patterns zigzagging across his face, the sickest sense of horror gripped his heart like a vise.

_He should have realized sooner._

After all, this was not an unfamiliar sight to him. The _Infected_ ones in Yifan’s laboratory looked just like that as well. Yifan had been experimenting on human subjects back then, hoping to figure out a way to infect them with an evil form of magic. The ambitious _Alchemist_ wanted to engineer an army which could be manipulated to fight their battles against the Seekers. Kyungsoo paid Yifan weekly visits to check on the progress of the experiments. The success rate was extremely low, but the handful of success cases displayed symptoms that he was seeing amongst the Seekers right now.

_Twitching limbs, ashen complexions, and the tell-tale marbling of bruising veins across their skin._

The Alchemist must have made an _enormous_ breakthrough to have successfully infected even the Seekers, whose constitutions were far more resilient than the fragile humans.

With this realization, Kyungsoo felt as if he could faint any moment. _This was karma. This must be karma._

“We don’t have much time,” Kyungsoo whispered fearfully. “This is bad. This is very bad. You need to get everyone to evacuate from the Albergo,” he turned around to stare at Jongin’s face, suppressing a choked sob. “ _Now!_ ” he screamed.

The three of them stared at him in shock, unable to comprehend his sudden outburst.

“What are you saying?” Sehun asked, placing him hands firmly on Kyungsoo’s shaking shoulders. “Calm down!”

“They have been _infected_ ,” Kyungsoo stared at him, breathing heavily. “The black magic in their bodies will turn them into rabid zombies soon!”

 _“Huh?”_ Sehun’s fingers dug deeper into Kyungsoo’s skin. “What gibberish are you talking about?”

“Please, I don’t have much time to explain things right now,” Kyungsoo cried out. “We need to act before the black magic takes over their bodies!”

“He’s gone mad,” Sehun chuckled darkly, shooting Baekhyun a _‘what the fuck’_ expression. “Jongin’s unconscious for a few hours and his pet is already going loco.”

Baekhyun regarded Kyungsoo in an intense manner, seemingly in deep contemplation. “Okay,” he nodded resolutely. “Yixing, please spread the message. Get everyone to leave the Albergo.”

Yixing looked confused as heck, but he wasn’t about to question Baekhyun’s authority. With an assenting hum, he sprinted out of the infirmary.

Sehun’s jaw fell open in disbelief. “Why are you listening to the human? What would he even know about our world? About black magic?” he shook his head. “He’s gone crazy and is spewing nonsense!”

“But is he _really_ human?” Baekhyun said cryptically. “I haven’t been sure about that,” he cast Kyungsoo an unreadable glance.

“What do you mean?” Sehun narrowed his eyes.

A second later, Sehun suddenly heard a low growl by his ear, and before he could react, he found himself pinned to the ground by something extremely heavy.

 _“Sehun!”_ Baekhyun screamed, watching in horror as Jongin pounced on Sehun without any warning. His irises had turned a vivid shade of red, and if that wasn’t terrifying enough, his scleras were now a sinister shade of black.

This wasn’t Jongin anymore.

Sehun directed a powerful blast of air at his attacker, sending Jongin flying through the air and crashing into the windows. There was a loud shattering of glass, and that commotion seemed to trigger something within the other injured Seekers. They suddenly stopped twitching and moaning in pain, springing upwards from their beds like roly-poly toys.

 _“Ta—lis—man,”_ Junmyeon hissed, wearing a maniacal grin. _“Ta—lisssssss—man,”_ everyone else began chanting with him.

 _“What the fuck,”_ Sehun leapt to his feet, moving to shield Baekhyun’s body. “What’s wrong with them?”

“They are fully infected now,” Kyungsoo whispered weakly. He watched tearfully as Jongin shook the glass shards from his body and clambered to his feet. With an almost feral roar, he charged forward at a startling speed, leaping like a wild animal.

And then, he _disappeared._

Baekhyun suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap around his throat tightly. It was Jongin, and he had teleported towards him to hold him in a death grip. Baekhyun gasped and wheezed violently, struggling to free himself.

_“Ta—lissss—man,”_ he could feel Jongin’s breath on the back of his neck.

“No, Jongin!” Kyungsoo shouted. “Let him go!”

Jongin seemed to still for a moment when he heard Kyungsoo’s voice, and Sehun took the chance to swiftly rip Jongin off Baekhyun. He threw Jongin to the ground with a furious growl, summoning an intense tornado which swept up his body in its windy prison. The other Seekers shrieked and gurgled, getting sucked into the merciless whirlpool as well.

 _“Run!”_ Sehun shouted at Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. “Evacuate with the others! I’ll keep things under control over here.”

“I won’t leave you,” Baekhyun gritted his teeth together. “You can’t possibly handle them alone!”

Baekhyun was right, because a powerful jet of water came shooting out from the tornado, hitting Sehun in his face at full blast. Sehun stumbled backwards and lost his concentration, dissolving his windy prison. The freed Seekers dropped to the ground like dead flies, but they did not waste a single second before leaping at them simultaneously, snarling like wild beasts.

Baekhyun reacted instinctively, summoning a massive shield of light. The Seekers rebounded off his shield, crashing into each other like bowling pins.

“How can we stop them?” Baekhyun directed the question at Kyungsoo, his voice laced with urgency.

“I… I do not know,” Kyungsoo whispered, running his hands through his hair shakily. He stared at his lover, who had now turned into a monster, and let out a heartbroken wail. “I’m so sorry, Jongin. I’m so sorry.”

_I’m so sorry I can’t do anything for you right now._

Baekhyun shut his eyes, beginning to emit an intense light. Light particles floated off his skin and danced in the air around them, like tiny pinpricks of starlight. It was mesmerizing to look at, but Kyungsoo knew not to be fooled by its beauty, for the energy pulsed and radiated in violent waves, like a vengeful warrior seeking out its next kill. The infected Seekers seemed to be transfixed by the random light show, suspending them in a serene state.

But when Baekhyun reopened his eyes, his seemingly innocuous light particles descended on the Seekers, covering and singeing every inch of their skin. Baekhyun watched as they screamed from the pain, his heart heavy and sympathetic. They may not be themselves right now, but they were still his beloved friends. It hurt him beyond words to see them in such a state, but it hurt a thousand times worse to have to attack his own comrades.

It seemed like an eternity before their shrieks died down, and the light particles slowly evaporated into nothingness, revealing their weak and defeated forms on the ground. Baekhyun could no longer smell the disgusting aura that had permeated the air, and he took it as a sign that he had managed to purge the evil magic from their bodies. Light was always effective against darkness, after all.

“What did you do?” Sehun exhaled in awe. “You didn’t… kill them, did you?”

“I think I managed to neutralize the black magic within their systems,” Baekhyun crouched by Junmyeon’s body and pulled up his eyelid, revealing his normal brown iris and healthy sclera. “I hope they will be okay from now on.”

Sehun let out a pained moan as he rubbed the tip of his nose. “Damn, Junmyeon’s jet spray back there might have broken my nose.”

Baekhyun laughed softly. “You can go pick a fight with him when he wakes up.”

“What about you, Baek? Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked, his voice turning serious. He walked towards Baekhyun and spun him around worriedly, searching for any visible injuries.

“I’m fine,” Baekhyun shook his head, and Sehun let out the anxious breath that he had been holding.

“And _you_ ,” Sehun spun around with a hiss, not forgetting about Kyungsoo’s presence. “You’ve got some explaining to do. Who are you, really?” he slowly stalked towards the wide-eyed male, who had been crying silently by Jongin’s unconscious form. “What do you know about black magic?”

“You aren’t human,” Baekhyun said, looking at Kyungsoo intensely. “You never smelled human.”

Sehun frowned at Baekhyun’s words. “Really, Baek? You knew he wasn’t human all along, but you never said anything?” he threw his hands in the air.

“I didn’t know what he was,” Baekhyun looked a little guilty. “He didn’t smell human, didn’t smell like a Sorcerer, and he didn’t smell like the rebels. I had no idea what to think of him.”

“But you let him stay at the Albergo for two fucking years,” Sehun narrowed his eyes, looking both infuriated and disappointed. “And here I thought the security of this hotel was your utmost priority. How can you not tell me these things? It is my responsibility to safeguard the Albergo as well!”

 _It is my responsibility to make sure the Talisman is secure,_ he thought to himself.

“He smelled like _nothing_ ,” Baekhyun bent down and gave the air around Kyungsoo a small sniff. “I admit I was intrigued, okay? I had been planning to tell you, but Kyungsoo behaved so well. He never gave us any trouble, so I thought it’d be alright for him to continue staying here,” he stared at Kyungsoo sternly. “Plus, I trusted Jongin. He’s a good judge of character. If he fell in love with Kyungsoo, then I trust that Kyungsoo is a decent soul.”

Kyungsoo wanted to laugh. _Soul?_ He didn’t have a soul, and he hadn’t been feeding on any souls for the longest time. Perhaps that was why Baekhyun had found him scentless. Perhaps that was why Kyungsoo didn’t belong to any category, for he was in essence, a cursed creature stuck in the in-betweens of nothingness.

“So what the fuck are you? _Who_ are you?” Sehun asked in an interrogative manner. “And did Jongin know? That you aren’t human?”

Kyungsoo only shook his head mutely, suddenly feeling a terrible sense of fear and anguish. When Jongin woke up, he would find out from them that Kyungsoo had been lying to him all along.

He was sure that Jongin would hate him, and that thought in itself was unbearable. Kyungsoo could deal with the excruciating pain that he had grown to tolerate for leaving his soul-thirst unsated, but what he couldn’t handle was the terrifying prospect that Jongin would leave him. _That he would grow to hate him._

“I am not a good person,” Kyungsoo said croakily. “I’m sorry. I deceived Jongin and all of you.”

Sehun pulled him to his feet by the collar. “Stop ignoring my question. What are you?”

Kyungsoo wondered how he was going to extricate himself from this mess. He searched his mind frantically, wondering if he could get out of this without telling them the truth.

That he was one of the Condemned. That he had given up human souls to stay by Jongin’s side.

_That he was now forced to help Chanyeol with his plans._

Kyungsoo froze when he spotted sudden movement by the doors, realizing that there was _someone_ standing there.

Or rather, _something_ with red irises and pitch-black scleras.

Baekhyun seemed to have caught wind of the skulking presence at the same time as Kyungsoo did. With wide eyes, he swirled around to locate the source of the offensive smell, but he barely had time to shout a warning before the shadow flung itself at Sehun’s unaware back.

_And it sunk its teeth into Sehun’s neck._

_“NO!”_ Baekhyun let out the most heartrending scream as Sehun toppled over instantly, clutching at his throat. Kyungsoo leapt at the creature and tried to wrestle him off Sehun’s twitching form, but the thing easily threw him off with an effortless swipe.

That was not a Seeker—it was an Infected _human._ Kyungsoo remembered his face, for he had been Yifan’s favorite experimental subject back then. 001 was the strongest one out of the bunch, and Yifan would often pit him against the other Infected ones, watching with a sadistic glee when 001 emerged victorious all the time.

_How the hell did he get into the Albergo?_

001 turned his attention to a distraught Baekhyun, wearing a maniacal grin on his face. _“Ta—lis—maaaaaaan,”_ he hissed.

Baekhyun clenched his jaw together tightly. With a furious roar, they leapt at each other.

\--

Chanyeol awoke with a jolt. He was sticky all over with cold sweat, and an unsettling feeling settled in the pit of his stomach when he realized that Baekhyun was not anywhere in the room. Clambering out of bed, he glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing that it was already 8pm. Chanyeol stretched out his sore limbs, figuring that Baekhyun was probably at the Grand Hall for dinner.

He hovered indecisively by the foot of the bed, debating whether he should join Baekhyun downstairs. His stomach was rumbling loudly, but he wasn’t feeling up to socializing with the other Seekers.

It was then that he suddenly froze, realizing that he was _alone_ in Baekhyun’s room, where the Talisman was most likely hidden.

_What a perfect opportunity._

He was only a few steps away from accomplishing his mission—literally. He could break into the hidden door, get the Talisman, and then burn the Albergo into ashes.

And it would be game over.

_Finally._

Baekhyun was far more trusting than he had expected for leaving him where the Talisman was hidden. Chanyeol had to fight back a laugh of disbelief as he examined the secret door closely. He knocked on it twice, realizing that it was hollow. Even without the key, Chanyeol was confident that he would be able to melt through the oak with his flames.

_Oh, Guardian, you have been terribly careless,_ he thought to himself with a smirk.

Holding both of his palms out in front of him, he began summoning his magic. The familiar flames licked at his skin, and Chanyeol felt a heady rush of euphoria surge through his veins. However, a heartrending scream broke his concentration seconds later, and his blood ran cold when he realized why the voice sounded so familiar.

_It was Baekhyun._

Baekhyun must be in trouble, because the images around him suddenly began flickering, as if the illusions were destabilizing. He remembered Baekhyun telling him that _‘these illusions will exist for as long as I do’_ , and he was suddenly swept up in an intense wave of panic.

_What was going on?_

His first instinct was to dart out of the room and locate Baekhyun, but he stopped himself mid-sprint and forced himself to think rationally. _Why was he so worried about Baekhyun? Why would it even matter if Baekhyun was in trouble?_ He should be focusing on his mission, especially when he was right on the verge of retrieving the Talisman.

_What should he do?_

Chanyeol looked at the secret door, then at the main door, and he made his decision.

He chose Baekhyun.

\--

When Chanyeol saw the creature on top of Baekhyun, its fangs mere centimeters away from sinking into Baekhyun’s jugular, it was as if something inside him snapped. He didn’t understand what 001 was doing at the Albergo, but none of that mattered at the moment. He was overcome with the most overwhelming desire to protect Baekhyun, and red was the only thing he saw when angry flames began flaring from his skin.

Chanyeol tried to rationalize his completely irrational thoughts—he was only going to save Baekhyun because he needed his most important chess piece alive. He needed to keep Baekhyun safe so that he could continue fishing information from the gullible Guardian. And most importantly, the strange emotions he was feeling for Baekhyun were _definitely_ not that of love and concern.

_Right, he was only using Baekhyun as part of his elaborate strategy. There was nothing more._

Even though a small voice at the back of his mind told him that he was blatantly lying to himself, Chanyeol brushed it off. With a furious growl, he directed an intense ray of energy at 001. The creature immediately released its hold on Baekhyun, shrieking and howling in pain.

 _Welcome to my fiery hell,_ Chanyeol thought to himself sadistically as his flames engulfed the creature completely. It only took about ten seconds before the creature dissolved into nothing but powdery black ash, scattering its remains all over the infirmary like an explosive sandstorm.

“Are you okay?” Chanyeol immediately rushed towards Baekhyun, cradling him in his arms. Chanyeol felt himself choke up with a crippling sense of fear and panic as Baekhyun stared at him with teary eyes, coughing up blood. _Dammit, 001 had clawed up Baekhyun’s chest with its talons._

_“Sehun…,”_ Baekhyun gurgled, pointing weakly at Sehun’s body. “Is he okay?”

Chanyeol turned his head, and it was only then that he realized that there were numerous unconscious Seekers laying on the ground.

“What on earth happened here?” Chanyeol whispered in shock, staring at Kyungsoo’s sorrowful expression.

_Who the fuck released 001 into the Albergo without informing him beforehand?_ This was _his_ mission. Why were they meddling into his plans?

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo mouthed at him silently. “I can’t help you anymore.”

Kyungsoo shuffled closer to Jongin and held the pendant of his necklace tightly. It was a crystal vial filled with teleportation magic, good for a one-time usage. Jongin had gifted it to him back then, joking that this would be Kyungsoo’s _‘get-out-of-jail-free card’_ if he ever encountered a situation that he would need to escape from. Kyungsoo never expected that he would actually need to use it, let alone under such circumstances, but he knew that he was unprepared to deal with the aftermath of this big fat mess.

They now knew that he wasn’t human, and the Council would surely have him persecuted. Kyungsoo knew that he was too much of a coward to face the music.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated aloud this time. Holding Jongin to his chest, he broke the crystal vial.

_And the two of them disappeared into thin air._

Chanyeol blinked in shock and confusion. _What the fuck just happened?_

He turned his attention back to Baekhyun, whose breathing had begun to turn shallow. Baekhyun fought hard against the fatigue washing over him, struggling to keep Chanyeol’s worried face in focus, but he eventually succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

Chanyeol’s heartbroken cry of _“Baekhyun!”_ was the last thing he heard before his eyelids drooped shut.

\--

The Council ordered for the Albergo to be sealed, turning it into a quarantine zone for the injured Seekers. Powerful seals were placed at all entry points, ensuring that the place would be kept secure. No one except those who had been present at the infirmary knew exactly what happened that night, but they all remained unconscious. Chanyeol had to swiftly escape before the Council’s team of investigators descended upon the Albergo like a pack of vultures, leaving Yixing as the only witness they were able to interrogate.

“So you’re saying that Jongin and his… _human_ were here,” the bespectacled investigator shot Yixing a disgusted look. “But they’re missing now?”

Yixing nodded pensively. “The human was talking about black magic and zombies. He was the one who said that we needed to evacuate the Albergo.”

“So he probably had something to do with what happened,” the investigator scribbled into his notepad. “Or at least, he knew what was happening.”

“And then he stole our most valuable Seeker,” another investigator said, collecting the last of the mysterious ashes scattered all over the room.

“Maybe. But we’ll only know for sure when they wake up and tell us what they saw,” Yixing shot a worried glance at the unconscious Seekers.

Even though he did not know what transpired after he left to evacuate everyone else, he was able to piece together a general idea from the little information that he had. The Seekers had been infected with black magic, turning them into zombies that attacked Baekhyun and Sehun. However, Baekhyun and Sehun must have not gone down without a fight, because he was able to pick up on the tell-tale signs of Light and Wind injury on the Seekers’ bodies.

“We will leave you to do your work then,” they gave Yixing a polite nod. “Let us know immediately when they awaken.”

“Will do.”

Yixing walked towards Baekhyun’s bed and placed his palms over his head, focusing on delivering healing energy down his chakras. Baekhyun’s injuries were the least serious out of everyone else’s, except for the angry red gashes down his chest. However, those were superficial wounds at most, and Yixing was confident that he would be able to heal them with a little more time.

Sehun, on the other hand, seemed to be much worse off. Gently uncovering the bloody gauze wrapped around his neck, Yixing winced at the deep teeth marks. Those were the only things that refused to heal, even when the rest of his body seemed to be reacting well to his healing magic. Yixing knew that Sehun would be a very tricky case to treat, and he could only hope that Baekhyun would wake up soon.

Baekhyun would know what to do. He _always_ knew what to do.

Baekhyun—the heart and soul of the Albergo. All the Seekers saw him as their unofficial leader, and a leader he truly was. He was wise, gracious and kind, and everyone looked up to him. Recuperating at the Albergo was all they looked forward to in between their Hunts, for Baekhyun made sure that his sanctuary had everything they could ever need to heal, both physically and spiritually.

Now that such a terrible thing had happened, what was going to happen to the fate of the Albergo? What if none of them ever woke up?

Shaking such ominous thoughts from his mind, Yixing went to the next bed. Junmyeon’s lips were slowly returning to a soft, rosy color, and Yixing left out a soft sigh of relief.

Yixing could only pray that everything would turn out alright in the end, for there was only so much he could really do for them.

\--

The first thing Chanyeol did when he escaped the Albergo was to send an angry message to Yifan.

**_Do not attempt to interfere with anything else without letting me know. I will hold you responsible if you ruin my plans._ **

Chanyeol immediately heard Yifan’s low chuckle through the telepathic link that he had just opened.

**_We thought that we’d give you a hand—you were taking a little too long to complete your mission. They are only going to give you two more weeks to bring the Talisman back, Yeol. I hope to see you by then._ **

****

Chanyeol slumped against the wall, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. _Two weeks._ He didn’t need another two weeks—he would have been able to retrieve the Talisman _just now._ In fact, he was practically given a god-sent opportunity to do so.

But he threw it away, all because he wasn’t able to control his emotions when it came to Byun Baekhyun.

_Why was he behaving so irrationally?_ Chanyeol wanted to kick himself. Now, he needed to find another way into the Albergo to get the Talisman from Baekhyun’s bedroom.

 _And to check up on how Baekhyun’s doing,_ he thought to himself anxiously.

With an exasperated sigh, Chanyeol began concocting a new plan, all while grappling with his confusing feelings.

A day later, Chanyeol found himself sneaking around the periphery of the Albergo, startled by the protective seals placed all over it. It was going to be extremely difficult to enter the building, and he groaned softly, wondering once again why he hadn’t taken the Talisman when he had the chance to.

Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, Chanyeol quickly crouched down behind a dumpster. He saw two investigators from the Council walk out from the main entrance, slipping into his alley to have a smoke. Holding his breath, he made sure to keep very still, hoping that they wouldn’t discover him.

_“What a mess this is. The first ever security breach at the Albergo—can you even believe it? I tell you, the Condemned must be behind this. They are really stepping up their game now.”_

_“Right? This is all the Guardian’s fault for being so careless. How could he have allowed a human to stay at the Albergo? The Elders will surely give him an earful when he wakes up.”_

_“No, haven’t you heard? They are planning to replace the Guardian.”_

_“Wait, are you serious? When the Elders say ‘replace’, they really mean—”_

_“To kill. They are going to kill the Guardian. He’s useless to them now, anyway. He’s too badly injured. You saw how he looked, didn’t you? His condition doesn’t seem too optimistic.”_

_“But who will guard the Talisman?”_

_“I heard they are planning to transport the Talisman to the Headquarters tomorrow evening. The Albergo has been breached, it’s no longer safe anymore. It seems like the Elders plan on safeguarding the Talisman themselves now.”_

_“Well, that makes sense. But to kill the Guardian? Don’t you think that’s a bit… cruel?”_

_“The Elders have always been like that. Utility over sentiment. It’s not in our place to question them.”_

Chanyeol kept deathly quiet until they finished their smoke, unable to believe his ears. They were planning to kill the Guardian? To kill _Baekhyun_?

Chanyeol felt his jaw lock together, swept up in an intense wave of fury. The Elders were really cold-hearted beasts. To think that Baekhyun had been faithfully guarding the Talisman throughout the centuries! How could they even think of discarding him so ruthlessly?

_Why were they always so unfair to their own kind?_

And once they transport the Talisman to the Headquarters, Chanyeol would stand no chance at all to retrieve it successfully.

_No, he couldn’t let any of these things happen._

Making sure that the two investigators were really gone, Chanyeol leapt to his feet. He was going to get the Talisman before it disappeared from his reach forever.

\--

As with everyone and everything, there is always a weak spot. By targeting the weakest link, you can bend things to your will in the most efficient manner. What is difficult, however, is _locating_ that weak spot. Chanyeol stealthily checked the various points of entry into the Albergo, searching for that one weak spot that he knew surely existed somewhere.

It seemed like all the major entryways had been sealed by a powerful binding spell, refusing entry to any unauthorized personnel. Chanyeol ran his hand through his hair in frustration, sighing heavily. How on earth was he ever going to infiltrate the Albergo?

The fear and exasperation were really starting to drive him insane. Chanyeol couldn’t stop fidgeting anxiously, tormented by the thought that if he didn’t find a way in, he was going to lose Baekhyun and the Talisman _forever._

Chanyeol raised his head and stared at the sky, begging the cosmos to give him a solution.

And then he had an idea.

 _The oculus!_ Chanyeol recalled the skylights that he had been so enchanted by, knowing that there were two of them—one at the main lobby, and the other at the library. However, the library was probably his safest bet, for it was in a relatively secluded Wing.

With renewed hope, Chanyeol blended into the night and flew upwards.

\--

Chanyeol slipped through the oculus easily. As expected, they had neglected to place a binding spell over the skylight. He landed lightly on the wooden floors of the massive library, feeling a small, victorious glee bubble inside of him.

_He was finally in._

Without wasting a single moment, he made his way to Baekhyun’s bedroom, entering through the doors that he had left ajar. The tightly-shut curtains made the room pitch-dark, with the only source of light coming from the corridor. Chanyeol stood in front of the secret door and placed his palm over it, burning a hole into the thin oak. With his hands, he ripped a big enough entrance for him to pass through.

The first thing he saw when he entered the tiny space was his reflection in the mirror. Or rather, all four walls in the secret room were made of reflective glass, and this disoriented him momentarily, stunning him with a strange sort of optical illusion. His reflection was lit up by a small candle sitting on top of a table, casting a warm, rosy glow on his face.

_The Talisman!_

Chanyeol reached out to hold the candle in his hands, transfixed by the tiny flame dancing and flickering on its wick. No one knew how the Talisman looked like, but Chanyeol figured that this must be it. After all, there was nothing else in the room except for the candle, the table, and the mirrors.

With the Talisman in his hands, Chanyeol felt tears brim in his eyes. He felt a flurry of different emotions that he could not pinpoint exactly. There seemed to be joy, triumph, anger and sadness altogether—a tangy and almost bittersweet taste at the back of his throat. After so many centuries of living a wretched existence, he was finally going to be restored to his former glory.

_Everyone else had also been waiting for too long. Far too long._

Uncontrollable tears rolled down his cheeks at the overwhelming knowledge that he would be able to feel whole again, after being painfully hollow for the longest while. He caressed the candle with his thumb, feeling a small smile blossom across his face.

He was holding his missing soul in his hands. He was holding his comrades’ missing souls in his hands!

Chanyeol couldn’t believe that he had succeeded so easily. If there was a higher power out there, he was sure that he was being watched over by it. After all, every single one of his plans had run so smoothly since he first stepped foot in the Albergo. He never expected that the mission would go so well. He never expected that he would be able to retrieve the Talisman without a violent scuffle.

And he never expected that he would fall in love with the enemy.

There—he was _finally_ admitting it to himself. He had somehow fallen in love with Byun Baekhyun in the most inexplicable and irrational twist, when all he was supposed to do was to get close to him for information. Their time together might not have been very long, but Chanyeol realized that the enchanting brunette had managed to ensnare his heart. Suddenly, Kyungsoo’s words rang in his mind.

_“Sometimes, love is not a conscious choice.”_

He finally realized what Kyungsoo had meant. He finally began to understand Kyungsoo’s betrayal.

At that very moment, Chanyeol made his decision. He was going to leave the Albergo with Baekhyun and the Talisman—the two most important things to his heart.

Placing the candle in a special leather pouch, Chanyeol swiftly headed to where Baekhyun was.

\--

Baekhyun’s eyes slowly fluttered open as he tried to adjust to the bright white lights above. He felt a dull ache all over, like he had been hit by a shit ton of bricks. Groggy and disoriented, he let out a soft moan when he tried to sit up, realizing that his chest was wrapped in bloody bandages.

With a gripping sense of terror, he quickly placed his palm over his chest and shut his eyes in concentration.

_They were still there._

All the memories suddenly came surging back. Baekhyun remembered the creature ripping and scratching at his chest, thinking to himself that this would surely be the end, but the monster had suddenly erupted in flames.

_Chanyeol had come to rescue him._

Baekhyun’s heartbeat accelerated at the memory of Chanyeol shouting his name tearfully, right before he slipped into unconsciousness. 

Baekhyun slowly forced himself into a sitting position, realizing that everyone else was also lying unconscious in bed. He searched the room for Sehun, letting out a small sigh of relief when he saw him in the bed right next to his. Sehun looked deathly pale, and his neck was wrapped in thick gauzes seeping a dark liquid. Baekhyun began to choke up at Sehun’s terrible state, blaming himself for letting this happen.

Suddenly, the unmistakable scent of fire and smoke caught his attention, and Baekhyun blinked in surprise when Chanyeol appeared beside him.

“Chan—,” Baekhyun began to call out, but Chanyeol immediately placed his hand over Baekhyun’s mouth.

Baekhyun stared at him with a mixture of fear and shock, unable to comprehend what was going on. He instinctively moved to pry Chanyeol’s hand off, but Chanyeol held it there firmly, his expression brooding and serious.

“Shhh, don’t make any noise,” Chanyeol whispered, looking around anxiously. “I’m here to get you out.”

Baekhyun shook his head in panic, as if to say, _‘what the hell are you talking about?’._ He struggled feebly against Chanyeol’s hold, wondering what he was trying to do.

 _“Trust me,”_ Chanyeol stared at him earnestly.

Those two words seemed miraculous, for Baekhyun stopped struggling immediately. He stared back into the depths of Chanyeol’s eyes, as if searching for something within.

Baekhyun didn’t understand why, but he gave Chanyeol his assent with a small nod.

Chanyeol smiled at him, and then carefully carried Baekhyun on his back. With his long and nimble limbs, he sprinted towards the open window and jumped from it.

\--

Baekhyun felt like they were soaring through the air as he felt the exhilarating rush of wind sweep against his skin. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the cool and crisp night air. He was able to see the dimly lit streets beneath them as Chanyeol hopped from rooftop to rooftop—a thrilling experience which made the adrenaline pump hotly through his veins.

This was his first time out of the Albergo in _centuries_ , and Baekhyun felt like screaming in a mixture of glee and terror. After all, he hadn’t been truly outside since the end of the War, and he had almost forgotten how the outside world looked like. It felt like a form of liberation, as if the heavy weight in his chest had suddenly dissipated, and he told himself to rejoice in this carefree sensation for a while longer.

Baekhyun was not sure how long they travelled for, but he could tell that they were only going further and further away from the Albergo. Finally, when Chanyeol landed in the middle of a quiet street, Baekhyun found the voice to speak.

“Where are we? What is going on?”

“I’m keeping you safe,” Chanyeol replied, walking towards a dodgy-looking establishment. It had a huge neon signboard which said ‘MOTEL’, and Baekhyun frowned as Chanyeol stepped right in.

Now that the initial high had worn off, he was left feeling completely and utterly confused. What on earth were they doing here? What exactly was Chanyeol planning?

“Room for two,” Chanyeol said to the sleazy-looking man at the counter. The man looked at how Chanyeol was piggy-backing Baekhyun, and he winked at them suggestively.

“For a night?” he asked, popping his bubblegum.

Chanyeol paused for a while as he thought about it. “No. _Two weeks._ ”

The man’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Woah, young people sure have the stamina of a bull these days. Don’t mess up the room too badly,” he chuckled, dropping the keys into Chanyeol’s outstretched hand.

Chanyeol turned around and clambered up three flights of stairs to reach their room on the fourth floor. He thought about the astronomical difference in standards between the Albergo and this dilapidated motel, and he couldn’t help but snigger dryly to himself.

The room was as bad as he had expected. It smelled dank and musty, and its wallpaper was already peeling off at its edges. The ceiling was spotty with brown colored mold, and Chanyeol shivered as he wondered how often they even cleaned this place. He thought he could also hear the scurrying of cockroach feet across the creaky wooden floorboards, but he quickly forced himself to think of something else.

“I’m sorry we have to live in such conditions, but they probably won’t think of looking for you here,” he said, gently placing Baekhyun on the bed.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun stared at him pleadingly. “Will you tell me what’s going on now? Who are _‘they’_?”

“You must be very tired. Go to sleep first. I’ll explain things to you in the morning,” he said dismissively. Chanyeol removed his leather jacket and joined Baekhyun on the lumpy queen-sized bed, making it clear that he wasn’t going to say anything more.

Baekhyun yawned and his eyelids began to droop, as if agreeing with Chanyeol’s words. Now that Chanyeol mentioned it, Baekhyun realized that he was truly feeling very exhausted. His injuries were beginning to sting again, and Baekhyun immediately began to crave the numbing embrace of sleep.

Far too fatigued to say or do anything else, he allowed Chanyeol to wrap him warmly in his arms before he fell into a deep sleep.

\--

Baekhyun woke up to the warm rays of the morning sunlight kissing his face. Wincing at his still-healing wounds, he slowly extricated himself from Chanyeol’s embrace. Last night had felt like a dream, but his unfamiliar surroundings reminded him that everything had been real. Baekhyun still did not know what to think and how to feel, but he figured that he would get the answers to his questions soon.

He slowly slipped out of bed to pour himself a drink of water, but he tripped over something not even three steps in. Baekhyun fell to the ground with a loud crash, causing Chanyeol to jolt upwards in alarm.

 _“Baek?”_ Chanyeol called out anxiously.

Baekhyun stared at the small leather pouch that he had tripped over, squinting suspiciously at it. Reaching out to open it, Baekhyun gasped when he saw the candle.

“I told you not to open that door,” Baekhyun said accusingly, looking at Chanyeol with an unreadable expression. “Why did you do it?”

Chanyeol pursed his lips together guiltily and massaged his temples. _Damn, he had not wanted Baekhyun to find out like this._

“I was going to tell you everything today,” Chanyeol crouched down beside Baekhyun and picked him up. “I thought about it for the entire night, and I think I want you to know the truth.”

_The truth._

Baekhyun stared at Chanyeol sadly as the taller male swiftly picked him up and carried him back to bed. “The truth about how you’ve been pretending to be a Seeker all this while?”

“You knew?” Chanyeol exhaled in surprise, but it sounded more like a statement than a question. _“How?”_

“When you first stepped into the Albergo, I noticed something very strange about you,” Baekhyun fidgeted when Chanyeol lifted his shirt to check on his wounds, as if they weren’t about to have a serious conversation. “You were drenched by the storm, but you had an umbrella in your hand. An umbrella that was completely _dry_ ,” he affixed Chanyeol with a small frown. “At first, I didn’t think much of it, but as the days went by, my suspicions grew. Granted, I didn’t have any evidence that you weren’t who you said you were, but it was more of a… gut feeling. And my gut feelings are _never_ wrong,” Baekhyun chuckled dryly, shaking his head. “I couldn’t tell if you were at the Albergo with hostile intentions, and that drove me crazy, honestly. Rebels smell very distinct from the human souls that they consume, but I couldn’t detect their scent on you,” Baekhyun inhaled deeply. “Now that I think about it, it was probably because your personal scent was able to mask it. Fire and smoke is very overpowering.”

“You suspected that I was pretending to be a Seeker,” Chanyeol shook his head in disbelief. “So why did you let me remain at the Albergo?”

“I wanted to find out what you were up to. If you were really one of the rebels, I needed to know what exactly you were plotting.”

“Ah, you were playing me while I was playing you. _Damn.”_

“So you _are_ admitting that you are one of the rebels.”

“Well, duh,” Chanyeol picked up the candle carefully and slipped it back into the leather pouch. “I came to the Albergo to retrieve the Talisman,” he said, hugging the pouch to his chest.

 _“_ The _Talisman,”_ Baekhyun repeated slowly, eyeing the pouch with an odd expression. “Of course.”

There was a tense, pensive silence before Chanyeol spoke again. “Do you hate me now that you know the truth?” he said softly, fearful of Baekhyun’s answer.

“Honestly, I don’t know what to think.”

“I’m sorry for deceiving you.” Chanyeol sat down by the foot of the bed, staring at his lap. “I wish we could have met under different circumstances. You’re a genuinely good soul.”

Baekhyun felt a deep pang of wistfulness at Chanyeol’s words. “You could have just taken the candle and left. Why did you steal me from the Albergo as well? What exactly are you plotting?”

“I’m plotting nothing,” Chanyeol sighed. “I just wanted to save you.”

“Save me?” Baekhyun looked at him in confusion. “From what?”

“From death,” Chanyeol said grimly. “They were going to kill you. I couldn’t let that happen.”

 _“Who?”_ Baekhyun asked, his voice rising an octave.

“The Elders,” Chanyeol replied, watching as a flurry of emotions played out on Baekhyun’s face. “I overheard a conversation the other day. Two Council members were discussing the topic.”

Baekhyun laughed in confusion. “Impossible. They would never.”

“They said that the Elders are going to replace the Guardian.”

Baekhyun paled instantly, feeling an overwhelming sense of terror and nausea rise up his throat. Tears began to brim in his eyes as he leapt out of bed with a strangled cry, darting straight for the doors.

“Where are you going?” Chanyeol instinctively hopped to his feet and intercepted Baekhyun before he could reach the exit. Holding on to Baekhyun’s shoulders tightly, he tried to calm him down.

“I need to speak to the Elders,” Baekhyun sobbed. “They can’t do this!”

Chanyeol wrapped Baekhyun in a tight embrace. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised. “That’s why I brought you here. I won’t let them find you. You’ll be safe,” he said reassuringly, planting a kiss on top of Baekhyun’s head. “Don’t act so rashly. What good will come from running into the lion’s den?”

“You don’t understand,” Baekhyun whispered softly, shaking his head. “I can’t…,” his voice slowly trailed off as a million thoughts ran through his mind. Chanyeol hugged him tightly as he listened to Baekhyun’s sniffles, which gradually died down after several minutes, like Baekhyun had come to an understanding or a realization of sorts.

“You’re right, I mustn’t act rashly right now.”

“I know this is a lot of information to take in. You’re probably really overwhelmed at the moment,” Chanyeol said, gently pulling Baekhyun back to bed. “Rest for a while more,” he commanded, his insistent tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Baekhyun weakly shook his head to protest, but his weary and anxious heart did crave the comfort of sleep. After all, he had always been an escapist. Other than his illusions, sleep was yet another one of his coping mechanisms. His dreams provided him with another safe place to temporarily retreat to when reality became too tough to handle. It didn’t take much convincing on Chanyeol’s end before Baekhyun shut his eyes tightly, and he eventually slipped into dreamland.

Baekhyun did not stir at all while Chanyeol tended to his injuries, re-dressing his wounds with the bandages he had purchased from the pharmacy. Chanyeol used a warm washcloth to wipe away the dried tear tracks on Baekhyun’s face, his expression grave and thoughtful. Clearly, he had not thought things through when he brought Baekhyun along with him, because what was going to happen after these two weeks? He would have to return to his people with the Talisman. He couldn’t possibly take Baekhyun back with him, but he couldn’t bear to leave him alone either.

Burying his face in his hands, Chanyeol groaned as he mulled over his rash decisions.

_What a mess._

\--

Baekhyun woke up again in the late afternoon to a throbbing headache. He sat up in bed, noticing that Chanyeol was fast asleep on the dusty armchair. Making sure to be as quiet as possible, he tip-toed to the door, keeping a cautious eye on Chanyeol in case he roused from his slumber.

But when he wrapped his hand around the door knob, Baekhyun suddenly froze. Where was he even planning to go? Back to the Albergo?

No, he couldn’t do that.

With a defeated sigh, he slowly stepped away from the door. Tears of worry brimmed in his eyes when he thought about Sehun, wondering if he was recovering well from his injuries. If he stayed here, Sehun would be safe for the time being. After all, if they wanted to find Baekhyun, they could only rely on Sehun.

_They wouldn’t dare touch him._

Anger flashed in his eyes when he thought about the Elders. Cold and ruthless, like they had always been. It wasn’t surprising, but Baekhyun couldn’t help but be resentful, erasing the last bit of respect that he felt for them. Perhaps the rebels had a point when they started the uprising back then.

Perhaps the rebels _did_ deserve to have the Talisman.

Baekhyun looked at the way that Chanyeol was hugging the leather pouch even in his sleep, and he let out a sad sigh. Thinking about his favorite lines from Dostoyevsky’s _Crime and Punishment,_ Baekhyun smiled wryly to himself.

**_Have you ever seen a moth near a candle? Well, so he’ll keep circling around me, circling around me, as around a candle; freedom will no longer be dear to him, he’ll fall to thinking, get entangled, he’ll tangle himself all up as in a net, he’ll worry himself to death! He’ll keep on making circles around me, narrowing the radius more and more, and—whop! He’ll fly right into my mouth, and I’ll swallow him, sir, and that will be most agreeable, heh, heh, heh!_ **

Baekhyun wondered why he had thought he could be Porfiry Petrovich. Clearly, this was no longer a game of cat and mouse, especially when feelings have gotten involved.

This obsessive tango between the moth and the candle will surely drive them to their ruin one day, Baekhyun was sure of it.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol called out as his eyes fluttered open to see Baekhyun hovering by the door. He strode towards him immediately and held onto Baekhyun’s wrists, eyes wide with panic. “Were you… were you going to leave?” he said softly.

“No,” Baekhyun shook his head. “I have nowhere I can go now,” he mumbled, staring at his feet.

Chanyeol looked like he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself by biting his bottom lip. “You must be hungry. Let’s go grab some food,” he said, deciding to let the topic rest for the time being.

Chanyeol gently interlaced their fingers together, and Baekhyun allowed himself to be led out of the door. It felt nice and warm, like they were just a typical couple headed out for a meal together, but they both knew that their situation was far from normal. In fact, they were both suspended in a complicated mess, and neither knew what they were going to do about it.

As they stepped out from the motel and into the comforting embrace of the late afternoon sunshine, Baekhyun traced Chanyeol’s features with his eyes, savoring the beautiful glow across his cheeks.

 _To hell with living a definite future._ For once, Baekhyun was going to embrace an uncertain destiny, even though it may be shrouded in secrets and mysteries. After all, what was life without experiencing it on the edge?

For the first time in the longest while, Baekhyun felt as light as a feather.

\--

The owner of the neighboring ramen shop greeted them enthusiastically as they stepped in. It was a small but cozy establishment—one that seemed like it was popular with the locals. Even at such an odd timing, there were still many patrons slurping down their noodles with gusto. Baekhyun looked around in awe, trying to fully take in the bustling atmosphere.

 _Humans._ They were blending in amongst humans!

Baekhyun hadn’t felt such an indescribable sense of amazement in centuries.

He must have been staring too intensely at a family of four, because the mother shot him a curious smile. Even their toddler began to point at him excitedly, mumbling to himself in baby talk. Baekhyun grinned at them awkwardly, quickly hiding his face behind the menu.

“What are you getting?”

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun answered, staring at the menu but not really looking at it. “This is a little… overwhelming for me.”

“What? The menu?” Chanyeol flipped through the pages and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I can’t decide either. Too many options.”

“No,” Baekhyun’s face reddened. “I mean… being outside like this.”

Chanyeol set down his menu and placed his hand over Baekhyun’s. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“It’s just… everything is so fresh to me,” Baekhyun admitted softly, shaking his head. “It feels strange, you know? Realizing that all of these aren’t a part of my illusions. That they are actually _real_ ,” he grasped the glass of water tightly in his hands and stared at it in concentration. “I think I’ve forgotten what it’s like to live and breathe reality.”

“You haven’t been missing much. Your Albergo is like heaven on earth,” Chanyeol smiled at him ruefully. “In comparison, reality can be raw and ugly,” he continued, knitting his brows together.

“That’s what I thought back then,” Baekhyun replied, staring at the boisterous table of high school students behind Chanyeol’s shoulder. He couldn’t help but smile at their lively laughter, couldn’t help but wonder how it was like to be able to live so carefreely. “But it seems like reality can be a nice place after all.”

Chanyeol gently stroked Baekhyun’s hand with his thumb as Baekhyun slipped into a pensive trance. His eyes were distant and thoughtful, and Chanyeol could only imagine what he had gone through all these years. Chanyeol had always been curious about Baekhyun’s past, but he never dared to broach such a potentially sensitive subject.

“Okay, you know what? Let’s just get their signature ramen,” he announced, making the decision for the both of them. Waving the matronly server over, he flashed her a charming smile.

“Hello, can we get two bowls of your signature bone broth ramen?”

“Of course,” she beamed at them brightly. “Would you like some kimbap rolls to go with that?”

“Oh, that sounds great,” he nodded. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” she replied kindly, slipping into the kitchen to convey their orders.

Chanyeol leaned back into his chair with a soft exhale and watched Baekhyun with a thoughtful expression. Drumming his fingers on the table, he broke the silence.

“Be honest, Baek. Do you hate me?”

Baekhyun blinked, eyes widening at Chanyeol’s sudden statement. “Why would you say that?”

“ _Why?”_ Chanyeol laughed in disbelief. “Because I stole something that you have been guarding so carefully for so long!” he responded, fingers tightening around the leather pouch on his lap. “Shouldn’t you hate me? I _am_ the big bad wolf,” he stared at Baekhyun with a curious, questioning look, as if he could get the answers he wanted just by staring into his soulful eyes. “I expected a lot more anger and resistance on your end.”

Baekhyun eyed the leather pouch with an odd expression. “The Talisman was not a responsibility I asked for,” he shook his head. “And I have been doing a lot of thinking. We were wrong to have withheld something that rightfully belongs to all of you.”

“It surprises me that you feel sympathy of any sort for us.”

“I told you—I didn’t agree with how the Elders meted out their punishment back then.”

“But you still served them. You guarded the Talisman for them,” Chanyeol locked his jaw together.

“I _guarded_ it for them,” Baekhyun paused for a moment to chuckle dryly, as if he was laughing at an inside joke. “Not because I wanted to,” he continued. “I had no say in the matter.”

Chanyeol let out a loud exhale. “You should have run away from the Albergo a long time ago. Fuck them, really.”

“Yeah, I could have,” Baekhyun mumbled slowly, as if it was the first time he had ever entertained such an idea. “But I didn’t want to leave. I never wanted to. The Albergo is far too important to me,” he smiled sadly.

The server reappeared at that very moment. She placed their steaming bowls of ramen in front of them, dissolving the tense atmosphere.

“Enjoy your meal,” she said cheerily, giving them a small bow.

“Eat,” Chanyeol said, separating the disposable wooden chopsticks for Baekhyun. “Enough of such heavy topics. You must be starving.”

Baekhyun inhaled the mouth-watering aromas from the huge bowl of noodles and dug into the food immediately. The refreshing bone broth, paired with springy handmade noodles, was quite possibly the most satisfying thing he had ever tasted. Perhaps that was just the hunger speaking, but Baekhyun thought to himself that he could eat ten bowls by himself and still have room for dessert.

Chanyeol was right—he had been starving.

Chanyeol rested his chin on his palm and stared at Baekhyun while he ate. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that Baekhyun realized Chanyeol hadn’t touched his food yet, and he paused mid-chew to shoot Chanyeol a confused look.

“Why are you not eating? Are you not hungry?”

“I am,” Chanyeol slowly picked up his chopsticks and picked up some noodles. “Just not hungry for something like this.”

“Hmm? Order something else then,” Baekhyun pushed the menu towards Chanyeol, looking more confused than ever.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Chanyeol laughed, shaking his head. “Eating this is not enough to really satisfy me. I’m craving something a little more… _exotic._ ”

Baekhyun was about to open his mouth to ask Chanyeol what he meant by that, but then it hit him. _Human souls._

“Oh,” Baekhyun coughed awkwardly. “You must have been hungry for a long while.”

“I’m famished,” Chanyeol picked up a pickled radish with his fingers and popped it into his mouth. “I haven’t had anything to eat since I entered the Albergo.”

“What happens if you… don’t get enough to eat?”

“It’s painful,” Chanyeol rubbed his chest in the same manner as a chronic sufferer of heartburn. “We take in human souls to fill the void within us. When we don’t feed enough, the hunger becomes excruciating. It’s unbelievably painful.”

“So you’ve been in pain all this while?” Baekhyun sounded upset.

“My entire existence in itself is a pain,” Chanyeol shrugged. “I’m used to it.”

At Chanyeol’s somber words, Baekhyun froze. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. None of this is your fault anyway,” Chanyeol finally began to eat his noodles. “I will be freed from my suffering soon.”

 _Two weeks,_ he reminded himself. He only needed to endure this for two more weeks. Once the Talisman made him whole again, he would never have to deal with this kind of pain anymore.

Baekhyun stared at him silently, his expression unreadable. Chanyeol stared back at him, detecting that tinge of sorrow in his eyes again.

“You’re sad.”

“I’m not,” Baekhyun smiled tightly. “I’m happy for you. Genuinely.”

Chanyeol scooped up his hard-boiled egg and put it into Baekhyun’s bowl. “You need to be happy yourself too.”

Baekhyun remained silent for a while. “You are so nice to me,” he eventually said, looking up to search Chanyeol’s eyes.

“It’s because I like you.”

Baekhyun set down his chopsticks, suddenly feeling like he could no longer stomach another bite. “But you purposely got close to me because of the Talisman, didn’t you? How do I tell what is real and what isn’t?”

“My feelings are real,” Chanyeol hummed. “Trust me.”

_Trust me._

Those two words again. Those seemingly magical words that instantly put Baekhyun’s mind at ease, and for no logical reason at all. It was terrifying, because he realized that he did in fact, trust Chanyeol.

 _Fool,_ he thought to himself, because a happy ending may be an unattainable goal for the both of them. Not when everything was this complicated.

“You have feelings for your enemy,” came the simple reply from Baekhyun. “You’re making a mistake.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you don’t have any feelings for me?” Chanyeol sounded small and hurt. “I don’t make mistakes, Baek. My feelings for you aren’t a mistake.”

Baekhyun drew in a shaky breath. “I do. I like you too,” he confessed softly. _And I don’t even understand why,_ he thought to himself.

Chanyeol placed his hand over Baekhyun’s. “We can make this work,” he responded, but even he sounded unsure himself. “I have made my decision. At the end of these two weeks, I will bring the Talisman back to my people. And once that is done, I will come back for you. We will both run away to somewhere far, where no one will ever bother us again,” he smiled at Baekhyun with a hopeful glint in his eyes. “An eternity awaits us.” 

“An eternity,” Baekhyun repeated slowly. “I… don’t know, Chanyeol. I think we should stay grounded in the present for now. Let’s treasure these two weeks that we have. We can’t be sure what the future will bring.”

Chanyeol’s lips turned downwards at the skepticism in Baekhyun’s voice. He reached out to brush the bangs out of Baekhyun’s eyes, forcing Baekhyun to look at him. “Of course. Let us enjoy these two weeks that we have. And then we’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.”

A smile finally made its way onto Baekhyun’s face. He gave Chanyeol an unexpected peck on the lips, earning him a surprised chuckle. Chanyeol resisted the overwhelming urge to pull Baekhyun back towards him so that he could kiss him good and proper.

“Well,” Chanyeol gulped, feeling a flush settle across his cheeks. “What do you want to do during these two weeks?”

Baekhyun thought about it for a moment. “I just want to experience what it’s like to live normally.”

“Then we’ll do just that,” Chanyeol smiled tenderly. “Together.”

Baekhyun nodded. “Together.”

\--

Baekhyun wanted to explore the quaint little town that they were at, and they slipped in and out of the stores lining its streets. Everyone was nice and welcoming wherever they went, and Baekhyun found himself surprised by the warmth of these interactions. He was also amazed by anything and everything that he laid his eyes on, spending a good forty minutes shaking the snow globes at the corner gift shop.

Chanyeol had a soft look in his eyes as he watched Baekhyun. “Do you want one of those?”

“No, it’s alright,” Baekhyun shook his head, but Chanyeol bought one for him anyway. It was satisfying to see the huge smile on Baekhyun’s face as they strolled back to the motel with the little paper bag in his hand.

They then spent the rest of the evening poring over the travel guidebook that Chanyeol had checked out at the cashier’s register. Using a red marker, they circled all the spots that they were interested in, and by the time night descended, they already had a brief itinerary on what they were going to do during the next few days. It was hard to keep the excitement out of their voices as they discussed their plans enthusiastically, and Baekhyun found himself unable to fall asleep that night, tossing and turning from all the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

The next morning, he sprang up before the crack of dawn and positioned himself by the windows to watch the sun rise over the horizon. It was the formal signal of a brand-new day, and a therapeutic reminder for Baekhyun to remain grounded. The sun never looked this glorious from the Albergo, and Baekhyun wondered if it had just been a matter of perspective. Perhaps the Albergo had been his prison just as much as it had been his beloved sanctuary, and he was only realizing it now.

_Just what had he missed throughout all these centuries?_

The War of Rovina had taken a terrible toll on him emotionally, and he coped with it by constructing the Albergo for himself. He wanted and needed a safe space he could retreat to, insulated from all the pain and suffering from the outside world. Reality became too much for him to bear, especially after he witnessed all the chaos and bloodshed that transpired during the War. He was heartbroken to see them fighting their own kind, but the last straw came when the Elders decided to punish the rebels in the cruelest manner imaginable.

As one of the most powerful Illusionists of all time, Baekhyun was an impressive architect of the grandest and strongest illusions. He allowed his imagination to spiral out of control, and before he even knew it, he had created an architectural monstrosity. It was an intricately woven illusion with everything anyone could ever dream of, and Baekhyun realized that he wanted to share his space with everyone else. He wanted to be a safehouse for all the wearied souls out there, and thus he officially branded his place as _The Albergo_ —a hotel for Seekers who sought mental and physical rejuvenation. Baekhyun could only imagine the anguish of these warriors who fought to restore the balance of power in the world, but deep down, he also ached for the rebels, who really should have been given a second chance.

Centuries passed, and his Albergo only grew more and more popular. He added more rooms, corridors and facilities to keep up with the growing demand, and he welcomed all of his guests like they were his family. Baekhyun loved the Albergo more than anything, and he loved the people who shared his sanctuary with him. It grew to a point where his one and only obsession became keeping his illusions in a pristine condition, and one day, he realized that he no longer found the need to ever leave again.

The Albergo was his personal heaven. The Albergo became his entire world. A world that he would fight tooth and nail to protect.

In an attempt to run away from harsh realities, Baekhyun had inadvertently created his own version of reality. He never saw anything wrong with that, and he never minded that he was living a lie. All that truly mattered to him was being happy.

However, at that very moment, with the first rays of the morning sunshine kissing his skin, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had ever been genuinely happy

_Is a happiness built upon falsehoods a legitimate kind of happiness?_

The soft rustling of sheets brought him out of his trance, and he turned around to see Chanyeol rubbing his bleary eyes.

“You’re up early,” Chanyeol yawned, casting a glance at the wall clock.

“Good morning,” Baekhyun greeted him with a soft smile. “How was your sleep?”

“Good,” he hummed, slipping out of bed to wrap Baekhyun in a back-hug. “How was yours?”

“I didn’t sleep much,” Baekhyun confessed. “I was too excited for today.”

Chanyeol laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. “The amusement park does look very exciting from the pictures.”

“Right?” Baekhyun chirped eagerly, suddenly feeling a renewed sense of vigor rush through his veins. _Stay grounded and enjoy the present,_ he reminded himself again. “I can’t wait to try all the rides.”

“That depends. How are your wounds holding up?”

Chanyeol pulled up Baekhyun’s shirt and slowly unwrapped the bandages. Letting out a relieved exhale, he was pleased to see that the wounds had faded into thin pink lines. Baekhyun was healing really nicely, and that was one less thing he needed to worry about.

“Seems like I won’t be needing any bandages from now on,” Baekhyun noted, looking surprised as well.

Chanyeol pressed his lips against Baekhyun’s forehead, injecting all of his warm affections into that single kiss. “C’mon, let’s get ready now. We have a long day ahead of us,” he announced, picking up the attractions map to study the route.

They did not take long to get ready, and they left the motel at 8am sharp to catch their bus to the city. Chanyeol let Baekhyun have the window seat, where he could observe the different sights that whizzed past them as the bus traversed the roads. The ride took them a full hour, and Baekhyun’s excitement was bursting at its seams when they finally alighted at their stop.

The first thing they did when they entered the park was to pick out a headband, because according to Chanyeol, an amusement park experience is never quite complete without wearing one of those. Baekhyun picked the cat-ear headband, and Chanyeol chose to wear the generic Mickey mouse one. Chanyeol then insisted that they should take some photos at the photobooth, and Baekhyun had emerged with the widest smile on his face.

“What shall we do first?” Chanyeol hummed, flipping through the brochure of the park.

“Can we try that ride?” Baekhyun pointed at the biggest rollercoaster in the park. “It looks fun!”

“Are you sure? I think you should try something a little tamer for your very first ride,” Chanyeol squinted at the imposing metal coaster, wincing at the shrill screams coming from that area. “Let’s go for the Lazy River ride. That one looks more manageable.”

“Don’t tell me you are scared,” Baekhyun nudged him in the ribs. “C’mon, Yeol! Please?”

“Who said I was scared?” Chanyeol puffed up his chest. “I’ll race you there!”

Baekhyun laughed as they sprinted towards the coaster, which was named ominously as the _Abyss._ Chanyeol reached the queue first, and he turned around to shoot Baekhyun a proud smirk.

“I win,” he stuck out his tongue, and Baekhyun playfully smacked him across the chest.

“There are so many children lining up for this, I’m sure it’s not as scary as it looks. It’ll be fine,” Baekhyun noted aloud, but he was beginning to second-guess his decision. Up close, the coaster seemed pretty daunting, and the deafening screams did not help his case at all.

“Again, I said I wasn’t scared,” Chanyeol said huffily. “I was worried for you. You shouldn’t underestimate rollercoasters.”

Baekhyun understood the truth of his words the moment they were strapped into their seats. As the rollercoaster hurtled forwards at an astonishing speed, the only thing he felt was regret.

_And then fear._

_And then regret._

_And then fear._

Heck, Baekhyun was beyond terrified as the coaster sent them spiraling down a near-vertical fall, and then inverted them 360 degrees in the air like ragdolls. He had not expected any of this, and he wanted to laugh at the continuous string of expletives that Chanyeol was letting out.

Except that he couldn’t even open his mouth for fear of regurgitating his breakfast.

 _“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!”_ Chanyeol screamed, feeling his legs turn into jelly not even half-way in. _“Ahhhhhhhhhh!”_ he continued shrieking, wondering why he wasn’t hearing a single peep from Baekhyun.

He snuck a glance at Baekhyun, realizing that his eyes and mouth were tightly shut, as if bracing for impact. He looked a little green, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at the amusing sight.

“Are you regretting this now?” he laughed loudly, dizzy from the heady rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins. “Told you we should have done the Lazy River instead!”

Baekhyun opened an eye to shoot Chanyeol a dirty glare, but he closed it immediately when he realized that they were at the very peak of the coaster. The amusement park looked like a miniature model beneath their feet, and Baekhyun almost fainted when he realized just how high above the ground they really were.

He never knew he had a fear of heights, but now he did.

The coaster rushed downwards so rapidly and abruptly, Baekhyun felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. Chanyeol released his fear by screaming profanities every other second, and Baekhyun took it as a sign that their ride had come to an end when he finally stopped.

The children cheered and clapped loudly, shouting that they wanted another round. Baekhyun had to take a few seconds to re-orientate himself before he gingerly peeled open his eyes. Chanyeol was breathing heavily, his hair drenched completely with cold sweat.

“Never again,” he moaned. “Never again.”

Baekhyun nodded vigorously in agreement, feeling stunned and dizzy. Chanyeol had to support him when they stepped out from their seats shakily. They slowly shuffled towards a nearby bench to catch their breaths, still trying to wrap their minds around what they had just experienced.

“So,” Chanyeol let out a loud chuckle. “Lazy River?”

“No,” Baekhyun leaned his head against Chanyeol’s bicep. “That’s more excitement than my heart can handle right now.”

Chanyeol threw an arm over Baekhyun’s shoulder and used his thumb to tickle Baekhyun’s chin. “I told you, Baek. Rollercoasters are scary.”

“Now I know,” Baekhyun said softly, cracking a weak smile.

They decided to watch the various parades and shows instead of going on any more rides. It suited them just fine, for they loved the interactive nature of these activities. Baekhyun enjoyed the photo-taking sessions with the friendly mascots, and Chanyeol volunteered to feed the dolphins for the underwater show. They splurged on official merchandise and even got matching temporary tattoos on their faces. Everywhere they went, the atmosphere was bright and joyful, and that only served to reaffirm Baekhyun’s epiphany the other day.

Reality can be a wonderful, wonderful place.

They held hands as they strolled through the amusement park, chattering excitedly about everything under the sun. It was an amazing feeling to be experiencing so many of his firsts with Chanyeol, and Baekhyun wouldn’t have it any other way.

Eventually, Chanyeol managed to convince Baekhyun to go on the Lazy River ride, claiming that he would regret it if he didn’t. He was right, because Baekhyun enjoyed each and every second of his time on that inflatable tube. They floated down the manmade river together, got drizzled on by the animatronics spitting water, and shared innocent kisses in between lighthearted chuckles. One round was not enough for Baekhyun, who insisted on taking the ride three more times. By the time they were done, they had to reluctantly drag their damp bodies to the drying pods before heading for dinner.

Chanyeol picked out the restaurant with an alfresco dining concept, knowing how much Baekhyun enjoyed admiring the sky. The food was nothing spectacular, as expected of typical amusement park fare, but it was good enough for them. The beautifully romantic ambience made up for it, and Chanyeol whispered sweet nothings to Baekhyun as they ate. These warm and fuzzy feelings were as foreign to Chanyeol as they were to Baekhyun, but he relished in it thoroughly.

When the 9pm fireworks display lit up the sky above them, Baekhyun had raised his head and let out an amazed exhale. _“Fireworks,”_ he whispered, transfixed by the boisterous medley of bright colors.

Blue, orange, white, red, and green—it was a thunderous display of light and brilliant sparks—so very symbolic of their budding relationship.

Indeed, fire and light were complementary in the most beautiful and tantalizing manner.

They made love for the very first time that night, unable to fight off the deep-rooted passion clouding their senses. The moment they stepped foot through the threshold of their motel room, it was as if all inhibitions had been shed off instantly. Unable to keep their hands off each other, their heated kisses gradually turned into something more intimate. Chanyeol was soft and gentle with Baekhyun, but Baekhyun found himself greedy for more. He liked it fast and rough and passionate, enjoying the way their bodies fit together so perfectly. Their love-making felt so right, like they were two puzzle pieces coming together to create a sensual masterpiece—an explosion of the most delicious highs in the entire universe.

It was an outpouring of love, of suppressed emotions and an inexplicable longing. For two souls who hadn’t known each other for very long, an attraction this fierce and passionate was undoubtedly daunting. It set off questions in their minds that neither knew how to answer, but it didn’t matter anyway. All that mattered was being in each other’s arms, proclaiming their innocent feelings for each other in not-so-innocent ways.

With every delicious thrust and stroke from Chanyeol, Baekhyun swore he could see stars at the back of his mind, reminding him of the beautiful fireworks that they had admired together. The euphoria was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, and for the first time in the longest while, Baekhyun felt like he was actually living.

Chanyeol enjoyed Baekhyun’s pleasured moans, as well as the faces that he made when they fucked—so deeply, so passionately, and so madly. He swore to himself there and then, that he was going to protect and treasure Byun Baekhyun for the rest of his life.

Chanyeol was going to devote the rest of his existence to loving him, and that meant _forever._

When dawn eventually rolled about, they finally grew weary enough to rest, tangling their sweaty limbs together before dozing off. They only woke up in the late afternoon, lamenting the loss of an entire morning. After all, time was a precious commodity, especially when they only had two weeks to be with each other for certain.

Their original plan for the day was to go cherry picking at the nearest farm, but they knew that it was going to be impossible due to the immense storm raging outside. In the end, they chose to remain indoors. Snuggling against each other on the bed, they binge-watched senseless sitcoms through the small and ancient TV in their room. It was nothing exciting, but anything was enjoyable as long as they were in each other’s company.

They made love again that night, exploring each other’s bodies to the background sound of crashing thunder and muffled voices from the TV.

Their love was perfect, and Baekhyun wished so desperately that this happiness would last them forever.

\--

In the subsequent days, they succeeded in ticking off most of the activities on their to-do list, for it was a desperate scramble to experience as much as they could. They went ice-skating, cherry-picking, and even mundane things like grocery shopping for things they didn’t need. Baekhyun immortalized their memories with candid snapshots taken from a polaroid camera, and Chanyeol would spend the few minutes before bed every night to stick the photos into a scrapbook.

They quickly fell into a comfortable routine, treasuring every single second they got to spend with each other.

Baekhyun loved surprising Chanyeol with little gifts, ranging from seashells he picked up by the beach, adorable soft toys from crane machines, to roses of every color imaginable. He crafted the roses every single morning, channeling his light bending abilities to fashion exquisite blooms that looked and smelled just like the real deal. Their originally drab room was transformed into a bright and fragrant wonderland by the beautiful roses sitting in their equally luxurious vases. Returning to their motel room after a long day outside felt warm and welcoming, especially when the roses seemed to tingle with joy in their presence.

Chanyeol showed his affection in more intimate ways, whispering proclamations of love while they rocked their bodies to a sensual rhythm. There was a fierce kind of passion behind their open-mouthed kisses and heated touches. It spoke of a desire to claim and possess, but also the yearning for warmth and tenderness.

Evenings spent exploring each other’s bodies were intensely pleasurable, but sometimes they preferred hanging out at the plaza. It had a public piano in the middle of the square, and they would sit side by side on that worn-down chair to play soulful pieces together. People would gather around them to watch, unsure if they were transfixed by the brilliant aura the two seemed to exude, or by the intoxicating music which tugged at their heartstrings. Chanyeol delighted in the way their fingers brushed against each other while they played, and Baekhyun enjoyed losing himself in Chanyeol’s eyes. They seemed to communicate with their music, weaving unspoken words into the lilting melody.

On the night of the full moon, they made an impromptu decision to go fishing after their piano stint. They sat by the pier with the equipment that they bought from a second-hand dealer, waiting from dusk to dawn for that tell-tale tug on their lines. In the end, they got nothing except a dirty boot, but the idle hours spent together were the most precious. They bared their hearts and souls to each other, talking about their most intimate dreams and deep dark fears. Chanyeol shared about his descent into darkness after the War, and Baekhyun explained what the Albergo meant to him.

With the passing of each day, they only fell deeper and deeper.

Their interactions with the humans were, for the most part, very interesting. Children seemed to gravitate towards them, and people walking by on the streets would allow their eyes to linger for a couple of seconds longer than what would be deemed polite. It was almost as if they were able to sense the effervescent aura that the pair exuded whenever they were around each other. There was something intrinsically perfect about their union, as if they were two halves of the same soul.

Baekhyun loved playing with the children, and he would create little trinkets for the little ones to take home. Sometimes it was balloons, and other times, he would craft adorable teddy bears for them to cuddle. In return, the children gifted him with their innocent smiles and melodious laughter. It was a precious kind of exchange, the sort that made Baekhyun’s heart expand with tender feelings of love and joy.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, preferred not to get too close to the humans, for it only served to intensify his lust for their souls. The constant ache in the middle of his chest was a reminder that he was nothing more than an incomplete shell, condemned to preying on the weak to satiate his hunger. However, he did grow to appreciate the beauty of the human race, and he relished in the idea of a peaceful co-existence once the Talisman made the Condemned ones whole again.

Time slipped through their fingers like sand, passing by so quickly that they had no way of preparing themselves for the imminent D-Day. _18 th of August_—a date which weighed so heavily at the back of their minds, but it remained there for the most part, for they were too afraid to be distracted from their blissful high.

Unbeknownst to Chanyeol, an inner turmoil raged violently behind Baekhyun’s happy demeanor. Byun Baekhyun had been hiding a heavy secret within himself, and he did not know how he was going to keep it from Chanyeol any longer.

\--

“Did you ever finish reading the book I recommended you?”

“The Garden of Forking Paths?” Chanyeol cracked a sheepish smile. “No,” he admitted. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”

They were at the local library on a quiet Wednesday afternoon, checking out the assortment of books that they carried. It wasn’t a very big library, but Baekhyun had been ecstatic nonetheless, comfortable in the familiar embrace of literature. Chanyeol, on the other hand, thought about a thousand and one things that were more exciting to do on a day as beautiful as this, but he was more than happy to indulge Baekhyun. After all, the greatest joy came from being able to see Baekhyun smile, and that was all that mattered to him.

“You came to me as an enemy at the start,” Baekhyun ran his fingers idly across the dusty book spines. “Now you are a friend.”

“More than a friend,” Chanyeol puffed out his chest indignantly. “A lover,” he said softly, swooping down to capture Baekhyun’s lips in his.

Baekhyun smiled against the kiss, enjoying the feeling of Chanyeol’s moist and plump lips against his. He pulled away and rested his forehead against Chanyeol’s chest, letting out a gentle sigh.

“You know, it’s the opposite in the Garden of Forking Paths. Doctor Tsun visited Doctor Albert as a friend,” Baekhyun mumbled. “But in the end, Doctor Tsun became the enemy.”

“Okay, that’s a vague summary. Details, Baekhyun, details!”

“The Garden of Forking Paths isn’t a real garden. It’s metaphorical,” Baekhyun smiled cryptically. “It alludes to multiple realities happening simultaneously, diverging and converging in different ways. Basically, it’s the idea that anything and everything can happen. That what doesn’t happen in this timeline can happen in another,” Baekhyun sucked in a deep breath. “That in an alternate reality, a tragic ending can be a happy one.”

“That’s a comforting concept,” Chanyeol mused, looking thoughtful.

“What kind of ending do you think we’ll have, Chanyeol?” Baekhyun said, staring at Chanyeol with an intense sort of expression. “How will our story end?”

Chanyeol pressed his lips into a worried line. “Are you trying to tell me something, Baek?”

“No, not really,” Baekhyun laughed lightly. “I’m asking you because I don’t know the answer either.”

“I don’t like thinking of endings,” Chanyeol mumbled, looking like a kicked puppy. “Can we not discuss something like this?”

“There is nothing in this world that is eternal, Chanyeol.”

Leaving that heavy sentence hanging in the air between them, Baekhyun flipped open a book and began reading, making it clear that he did not wish to continue with the conversation.

Chanyeol found himself swimming in confusion for the rest of the afternoon, but he let it go.

That very night, they went trekking in the mountains. It was a rather challenging trek, but it was all worth it when they reached the outpost at the peak. From their vantage point, they were able to see the surroundings of the quaint little town, as well as the peaceful oceans in the distance. The mountain air was crisp and refreshing, which was helpful in clearing the jumbled mess of thoughts in Baekhyun’s mind.

_“Beautiful. So beautiful.”_

They both jumped at the unfamiliar voice coming from behind them. Turning around, they were surprised to see a wizened old lazy shooting them a toothless grin. She waved her wicker basket at them, gesturing for them to take a closer look.

“Handmade bracelets for sale,” she announced croakily. “Take pity on me and buy some.”

Baekhyun sniffed the sickeningly sweet aura surrounding the old lady, and he pulled Chanyeol behind him instinctively. “We don’t want any. Go away,” he said coldly.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” she smiled. “I’m only here to help.”

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol said curiously, wondering why Baekhyun was behaving in such a hostile manner.

She took a step closer and placed a hand over their interlaced fingers. “I was attracted by the brilliance of your connection. So rare, so powerful, and so _beautiful.”_

“Will you leave us alone if we buy the bracelets from you?” Baekhyun studied her carefully, unable to figure out what the mysterious woman was after.

“Ah, why are you so eager to get rid of me, young man?” she laughed. “It is affinity that brought us together today. The universe wanted us to meet, and for very good reasons as well.”

“And I suppose that reason is to buy a bracelet from you?” Chanyeol said jokingly.

“You’re right,” she nodded, fishing out two clear quartz bracelets from her basket. “Beautiful jewelry for a beautiful couple,” she sighed appreciatively, slipping the bracelets onto their wrists.

“We didn’t bring any money with us,” Chanyeol frowned apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, I will accept your ring as payment,” she grinned, eyeing the Bloodstone ring on Chanyeol’s finger.

He pursed his lips together thoughtfully, and then shrugged in acquiescence. The ring never belonged to him in the first place, and he no longer had any need for it. All he wanted to do was to get rid of the old lady, for it seemed like Baekhyun was distrustful of her.

Pulling the ring off his finger, he dropped it onto her outstretched palm.

“Thank you young man, for being so kind,” she beamed. “These crystals will serve you well. Keep them close.”

She slowly hobbled away, disappearing into the thick foliage surrounding them.

“Woah, what was that?” Chanyeol chuckled nervously.

“She isn’t human,” Baekhyun said slowly, staring at the bracelet on his wrist.

“Isn’t human?” Chanyeol repeated incredulously. “Then what is she?”

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun shook his head. “But I don’t think she was dangerous.”

They tried to shake off the unsettling encounter by continuing with their trek, and they managed to reach their cabin a few minutes after midnight. Chanyeol set up a blazing campfire just outside, sticking marshmallows onto clean twigs for Baekhyun to roast. His flames were captivating to behold—a fiery medley of crimson and electric blue flames vying for dominance.

Baekhyun seemed to be in a somber mood, but he did not say no when Chanyeol suddenly tugged him up from the grass and asked for a dance. He wore a soft smile on his face as they gently swayed to a soundless melody—a song that only the two of them could hear.

Light particles floated in the air around them, rivalling the twinkling stars dotting the sky above them.

Chanyeol had the strangest urge to cry as he stared deeply into Baekhyun’s eyes. He ached to grasp the untouchable sadness in Baekhyun’s soul, but deep down, he knew he would never be able to understand.

“You’re so beautiful, Baek,” he whispered, using his calloused fingers to caress his lover’s face.

“No, you are,” Baekhyun inhaled the heady scent of fire and smoke, feeling his senses tingle. “You are the biggest blessing in my life.”

 _Which is why I want to give you everything,_ Baekhyun thought to himself. _I will give myself up for you._

“I’ve been trapped in the darkness for the longest time, but you showed me the light,” Chanyeol mumbled under his breath. “Promise me you’ll stay by my side forever.”

Baekhyun looked torn, like he was debating something within his mind, but a sudden gust of wind interrupted his thought process. Chanyeol’s campfire was extinguished in an instant, and an ominous chill settled in their bones.

_“I found you.”_

The voice coming from the trees sounded low and desperate, but also relieved and surprised. It was a voice he knew all too well, and Baekhyun slowly turned around with a resigned smile on his face.

“Sehun,” he greeted his friend softly, noticing the bloodied bandages on his neck. “You’re not yet fully healed.”

Baekhyun took a step forward, but Chanyeol gripped onto his wrist tightly. “Oh Sehun,” Chanyeol affixed him with a dangerous stare. “Why are you here?”

“You know very well why I’m here,” Sehun stalked towards them slowly, his hair and clothes fluttering in the violent winds surrounding him. “Let Baekhyun go.”

Chanyeol immediately pulled Baekhyun behind him, using his body to shield his lover from view. “Why? So you can take him back to be slaughtered by the Elders?”

 _“What?”_ Sehun furrowed his brows together, appearing to be caught off guard by his words. “Says the one who’s planning on slaughtering Baekhyun!”

“Where did you get that funny idea from? I would _never_ ,” Chanyeol growled at the ridiculous accusation.

“Then why did you take him from the Albergo? Why are you hiding him?” Sehun asked in an interrogative manner.

“I wanted to protect him!” Chanyeol said through gritted teeth.

“Protect him? _You?_ ” Sehun scoffed in disbelief. “What the fuck is he talking about?” he turned his attention to Baekhyun.

“He doesn’t know,” Baekhyun bit his lower lip. “He thinks the candle is the Talisman,” he mumbled the next sentence reluctantly.

Chanyeol released his wrist in alarm, dropping it like hot coal. The look of confusion and betrayal swimming in his eyes broke Baekhyun’s heart, and Baekhyun shut his eyes tightly, preparing for what he was about to finally admit.

“That candle is nothing special. I tricked you,” Baekhyun confessed softly, feeling tears brim in his eyes. “Back then, I wanted to know if you would enter the room when I told you not to. I set up a test to find out if you were at the Albergo with any ulterior motives,” he paused to catch his breath, watching as a million emotions played out across Chanyeol’s face. “I’m sorry.”

Chanyeol held onto Baekhyun’s shoulder tightly and stared at him with a lost look in his eyes. “What… what do you mean?” he said shakily, trying to make sense of Baekhyun’s words. “I don’t think I… understand.”

“The candle isn’t the Talisman,” Baekhyun stared at his feet. “I should have told you earlier. I’m sorry.”

 _“How could you?”_ Chanyeol took a step backwards, disbelief and betrayal coloring his voice. “You know how important the Talisman is to me!” he shouted accusingly.

Betrayal was painful, but it hurt a million times worse when it came from someone you loved and trusted with all your heart.

“I know,” Baekhyun sounded small and sad. “But you don’t have to worry. You brought the real Talisman with you when you left the Albergo.”

“Baekhyun, _no_ ,” Sehun said loudly, his voice ringing with a warning.

“The only thing I took was the candle,” Chanyeol said slowly, shaking his head. “I took nothing else!”

As he stared into Baekhyun’s eyes pleadingly, searching for an answer, the chilling realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

And he suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

 _“No,”_ he whispered, running a hand through his hair. “You’re joking, right? Tell me you’re joking,” he chuckled nervously, beginning to tremble. “Say something, Baekhyun!” he shook Baekhyun desperately, already tasting the salty tears running down his cheeks.

Baekhyun shook his head and forced a weak smile onto his face.

_“I am the Talisman.”_

At that moment, Chanyeol’s entire world came crashing down around him.

\--

_“We want to use your body as a vessel for the souls.”_

_“You’re kidding me, right?” Baekhyun stared at the Elders with a shell-shocked expression. “Why would I agree to something like that?”_

_“We can no longer keep the souls hidden at the Headquarters. The security barriers are growing susceptible to their black magic. It is not safe there anymore. You, on the other hand, are the very embodiment of Light. You are impenetrable to their dark energy.”_

_“Which is why we want you to house the souls. To become the new Talisman.”_

_“I will not do it. This is a ridiculous request,” Baekhyun huffed angrily. “Please leave now. You are not welcome here.”_

_“We are not here to ask for your permission, Byun Baekhyun. We are here to say that you have to agree.”_

_“And if I don’t?” Baekhyun said defiantly._

_“Then we will destroy the Albergo.”_

_The Elders knew that they had hit a raw nerve, because Baekhyun paled instantly._

_“You can’t do that,” he whispered shakily._

_“You know very well that we can.”_

_“The transfer procedure will be painless, and there will be no side effects. You won’t have to worry about anything. You can continue running the Albergo however you like. Nothing will change.”_

_“That’s right. And the thing is, you’ll be doing the community a service. We cannot allow the rebels to ever recover their souls. We have no idea of knowing what they will do.”_

_“Why do I need to bear the burden of your mistakes?” Baekhyun snapped sharply. “If you hadn’t punished the rebels in such an extreme manner, the situation would never have become so complicated!”_

_“We did what we thought was best. We do not cry over spilt milk.”_

_Baekhyun knew there was no point in saying no, for the Elders always got what they wanted—be it by subtle manipulation or by outright force. They did the transfer that very night, after Baekhyun reluctantly and resentfully nodded his assent. Thinking back, he should have fought tooth and nail against such tyrannical leaders, but it was too late. The process was quick, but it was not as painless as the Elders had claimed it would be. His body protested the foreign invasion, aching and pulsing as the souls settled in their new home. Baekhyun never expected that the souls would weigh so heavily on his chest, and it was then that he realized it was his burden to bear for forever._

_The only upside to this screwed up situation was that it didn't have to be a lonely journey. The Elders ushered a tall male into the room, introducing him as a retired Seeker who would now take on the role as Baekhyun's Guardian._

_And as Baekhyun stared at the stranger through tearful eyes, he knew that this would be the start of a very special friendship._

_"Oh Sehun, at your service.”_

\--

It had to take a few moments for the information to sink in, and Chanyeol crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll. Staring at Baekhyun with a devastated expression, the first thing that came out of his mouth was a heartbroken _‘why’._

“If you’re the Talisman,” he exhaled breathily. “Why would you stay by my side?”

“I know how messed up this is,” Baekhyun smiled sadly, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have let myself leave with you, but here I am now,” his voice began to tremble. “You told me to trust you, and I did. I love you, Chanyeol. I love you more than anything,” he reached out towards Chanyeol, but Chanyeol immediately flinched, avoiding his touch. “I’m _so_ sorry.”

“What now?” Chanyeol responded helplessly. “Tell me, Baekhyun! What am I supposed to do now?” he sobbed in anguish, feeling a terrible sense of nausea wash over him. _“How do you expect me to deal with this information?”_

“It’s my fault for keeping such a big secret from you,” Baekhyun sank to his knees. “I know you have been waiting to become whole again, and I have no desire to keep your soul from you. I won’t let you suffer anymore, Yeol.”

Baekhyun summoned a silver dagger in his hand, and it glinted dangerously in the moonlight. Chanyeol’s eyes widened in alarm, breath hitching in his throat. A strangled whimper bubbled to the surface, but he was unable to make his vocal chords produce a single sound.

“I will free the both of us tonight,” Baekhyun announced resolutely, bringing the blade towards his chest in a swift and sudden motion.

Sehun’s furious growl rang through the air as he wrenched the dagger from Baekhyun’s hand. He spun Baekhyun around and landed a resounding slap across his face, chest heaving up and down in agitation.

“What the fuck do you even think you are doing?” he screamed, shaking Baekhyun by the shoulders roughly. “Is it worth it, sacrificing yourself for him? I warned you, Baek. I fucking told you not to play with fire! How can I help you when you are so far gone now? Why do you _never_ listen to me?” he clenched his teeth together, seeing nothing but red.

“I love him,” Baekhyun’s voice was unusually steady. “And you of all people should know that I _never_ wanted this responsibility!” he used his fingernails to claw at his chest desperately. “Let us be freed from our suffering, Sehun. I beg of you.”

“I don’t want you to do this,” Chanyeol wheezed, choking on his own tears. “Eternity would be meaningless without you by my side, Baek,” he whispered the last sentence. “No matter how painful my pathetic existence is, I can tolerate it as long as it’s with you. I need nothing else,” he forced himself to his feet, shuffling forward unsteadily.

He needed to reach Baekhyun. He needed to hold him in his arms.

He didn’t need anything else, because Baekhyun was what made him truly complete.

However, Chanyeol was immediately hit by a strong gust of wind. It was like a sharp and merciless blade, slicing a deep gash across his torso. The forceful breeze sent him soaring through the air to crash violently against a massive tree trunk. The impact was loud and brutal, snapping the oak tree in half. Baekhyun let out an anguished cry as the upper half of the heavy tree fell directly on top of Chanyeol, pinning him helplessly against the ground.

“Stay away,” Sehun’s voice rang out sternly. “Don’t come near Baekhyun ever again!”

Baekhyun let out a choked sob and rushed instinctively towards Chanyeol. However, Sehun quickly summoned a massive barrier of strong winds in between the two, preventing Baekhyun from taking a step further.

 _“Sehun!”_ Baekhyun turned around to shoot him a furious, pleading look.

“You’re coming back with me tonight, Baek,” Sehun said firmly. “I should have watched over you more closely. It’s my fault that this is happening right now.”

“I don’t want to go back, Sehun!” Baekhyun exclaimed in agitation. “I refuse to go back and be a puppet for the Elders. Why can’t you understand?”

“Then I’ll hide you somewhere else,” Sehun stepped forward to wrap Baekhyun in a tight embrace. “Away from the Elders. Away from _Park Chanyeol,”_ he spat his name bitterly. “You’re just confused right now, Baek. He has tricked you into loving him. You’ve made a mistake, but don’t worry, because I will make this right again.”

Baekhyun pushed Sehun away from him harshly. “What do you even know? How can you brand my feelings as a mistake?” he said angrily. “Know your place, Oh Sehun. From the very start, you have been nothing more than just a good friend to me. You have no right to control my life!”

“I am _your_ Guardian,” Sehun responded shakily, revealing a small flash of hurt. “It is my responsibility to protect you from harm!” his dug his fingers into Baekhyun’s shoulder blades. “How do you think I felt just now to see that you were going to carelessly give up your life for the enemy? Why can’t you put yourself in my shoes?”

“If you really care for me, then let me go,” Baekhyun exhaled sadly. “I appreciate all that you have done for me, but I think it is enough.”

There was a livid glint in Sehun’s glassy eyes. “Will you only give up if I destroy Park Chanyeol?”

Without waiting for Baekhyun’s response, he picked up the silver dagger from the grass and headed straight towards Chanyeol, passing through his windy barrier with zero resistance. Baekhyun darted after him immediately, but the strong winds sent him flying backwards.

 _“CHANYEOL!”_ Baekhyun screamed his lungs out. It was a heartbroken and terrified cry, one that made Sehun stop in his tracks. He turned around, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight which greeted him next.

Baekhyun had flung himself forcefully through the barrier, allowing the violent winds to lacerate every inch of his skin. Crimson blood seeped from the deep cuts decorating his skin, revealing the full extent of the damage that Sehun’s powers had inadvertently inflicted on him. Baekhyun marched forward by merit of his willpower, eyes trained solely on Chanyeol’s unmoving form by the oak tree.

The dagger dropped from Sehun’s hand, and he fell unsteadily to the ground as well.

_What had he done?_

Self-hatred was all he felt as he watched Baekhyun drag himself to where Chanyeol lay. Baekhyun was right—who the hell was he to interfere with Baekhyun’s life? After all, Sehun was nothing but a Guardian to him. He was nothing more than just a _friend_ —someone that Baekhyun would never take a second glance at.

 _“Chanyeol,”_ Baekhyun whispered in horror when he noticed the sharp and jagged edge of the broken tree trunk protruding from Chanyeol’s chest. The sickening smell of his blood assaulted Baekhyun’s senses, and Baekhyun didn’t need to be a Healer to know that Chanyeol was losing way too much.

Chanyeol’s eyes fluttered open when he heard Baekhyun’s voice, and hot tears pooled in his eyes at the sight of his bloodied lover.

“W-what happened to you?” Chanyeol croaked sadly, reaching out to cup Baekhyun’s face in his hand.

“I’m okay, don’t worry,” Baekhyun said reassuringly, planting a kiss against Chanyeol’s pale lips. “I’ll get you out from here.”

Baekhyun exerted all of his strength to heave the heavy branches off Chanyeol’s body, but he was far too weak for that. He tried and tried, allowing tears of desperation to drench his cheeks. However, he was helpless against his equally severe injuries, and he eventually collapsed onto the grass beside Chanyeol, chest heaving up and down laboriously.

Chanyeol searched for Baekhyun’s hand, hearing a soft clink as their clear quartz bracelets touched each other. He held onto Baekhyun tightly as they both stared up at the blanket of stars above them. It was a beautiful distraction from their excruciating wounds, bringing them back to a much happier time, like the time they watched the fireworks at the amusement park.

Nostalgia and blood tasted bittersweet at the back of their throats.

“You asked me what kind of ending we’d have,” Chanyeol muttered serenely. “It’s not too bad, if our story ends like this. Hand in hand, with the stars in our eyes.”

“What an unexpected way to go,” Baekhyun had a sad smile on his face. “What do you think the Baekhyun and Chanyeol in an alternate timeline are doing? How would _their_ ending be like?”

“You’re still hung up over the Garden of Forking Paths I see,” Chanyeol chuckled, giving Baekhyun’s question some thought. “Hmm, I imagine that they are taking a stroll along the beach right now. They are humans in that lifetime, born without the promise of eternity, but free to live however they want. They are very much in love, just like how we are,” he paused to cough up dark specks of blood. “Their ending is a happy one. I know it will be.”

“I envy them so much.”

“Me too,” Chanyeol felt his breathing begin to turn shallow. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could live like them?”

“Do you remember something I told you back then?” Baekhyun fought to keep his voice steady, almost delirious from the pain surging through his system. “If you believe in an illusion hard enough, it can become real.”

“So is this what we’re going to do? To dream of a happily ever after?” Chanyeol grinned, turning his head to look at Baekhyun tenderly.

Baekhyun gave Chanyeol’s hand a feeble squeeze. “Why not?” he laughed softly. 

“Here’s to forever and beyond, my love,” Chanyeol smiled peacefully, his eyelids drooping close. “I shall dream of an eternity for the both of us.”

Baekhyun felt the last tear roll down his cheeks, and he slowly closed his eyes as well.

“I love you.”

\--

Warm sunshine on a lazy afternoon. The soft crashing of ocean waves against the shore. Noisy, incessant cawing of the seagulls flying high above.

_The tenderness of familiar fingers interlaced with yours._

Baekhyun slowly peeled open his eyelids, wincing at the bright sunlight threatening to blind him. His vision was blurry and unfocused, like he was just waking up from a very deep sleep. Baekhyun moaned from the dull headache throbbing at his temples, struggling to remember who and where he was. He turned his head to stare at the man lying beside him, letting out a sharp gasp when he realized that this was someone he recognized.

This was the face of a man who had been indelibly engraved in his soul—the man whom he had been willing to give up everything for. 

_“Chanyeol,”_ he whispered in disbelief, forcing himself to sit up. “Chanyeol,” he called out again, this time more urgently.

Chanyeol stirred from the sensation of wet droplets falling on his cheeks. His eyes fluttered open, and the first thing which greeted him was Byun Baekhyun’s face hovering above his. Chanyeol could taste his lover’s salty tears, thinking to himself that it tasted like sweet, sweet relief.

“Baekhyun,” he blinked once, and then twice. He stared at their tightly interlaced fingers, noticing the remnants of a broken thread around their wrists. There were shattered shards of what looked like clear quartz lying on the sand, glittering in the golden sunshine.

“What happened? What are we doing here?” Chanyeol exhaled shakily, bending over in agony at the sharp pain shooting through his head. “I thought… I thought we were dying,” he muttered incredulously, recalling the final few moments before he had slipped into unconsciousness.

“It’s a _miracle_ ,” Baekhyun breathed shakily. “We’ve been blessed with a miracle.”

“No way,” Chanyeol laughed in confusion. “What’s going on?”

Baekhyun stared at their healthy and rosy complexions, devoid of any scars or painful injuries. There was a lightness in his body that he had never experienced before, as if a heavy burden had been released from within.

“Do you notice anything different about yourself?” Baekhyun was beginning to tremble with a curious sort of joy. “Any changes?” his voice was high and hopeful.

“Changes…?” Chanyeol’s voice trailed off shakily, realizing that he did in fact, notice a very significant difference with his body.

He was no longer _hungry_. He was no longer in pain.

For the first time in the longest while, Park Chanyeol felt complete.

“Oh my god,” he felt his heart rate accelerate. _“We’re human now.”_

Baekhyun nodded his head emotionally, but he was still suspended in a dizzy state of disbelief. “We must have been given a chance to live out our alternate ending,” he whispered.

“How did this even happen?” Chanyeol felt the most incredible sense of awe bubble to the surface. “How is this possible?” he laughed uncertainly, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun so tightly, as if he was trying to ascertain that all of this wasn’t just a dream.

“Don’t you see? None of that matters anymore,” Baekhyun buried his face in Chanyeol’s chest, listening to the steady _thump-thump-thump_ of his heart. “We have been given a second lease at life!” he said, unable to keep the shocked excitement out of his voice.

“A _rebirth_ ,” Chanyeol whispered in understanding. “Our wish came true!”

Chanyeol leaned down to capture Baekhyun’s lips, kissing him with a passion and fervor unlike anything he had ever felt before. The kiss eradicated every single trace of skepticism in his system, for it was too beautiful and perfect to be unreal.

This was it—their brand-new beginning. A miracle with no logical or satisfactory explanation, but they embraced it with a thankful heart. More than willing to leave their heavy past behind, the two of them _never_ looked back again.

\--

**Three years later**

“Chanyeol, dear, can you please call the Maintenance department to check on Room 54? The guest is complaining that her bathroom lights aren’t working.”

 _“Again?”_ Chanyeol threw his hands up in exasperation. “How many times must the lights break down in that room? It must be cursed, I swear.”

“C’mon, Yeol,” Baekhyun laughed loudly. “This sort of thing happens.”

“Nobody told me running a hotel would be this troublesome,” Chanyeol shook his head, fishing out his mobile phone to call Maintenance for the tenth time this morning. “There’s so much logistical work involved.”

“Don’t grumble,” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at him. “You were the one who suggested that we open a hotel.”

“That’s because I know how much you love being able to run your own hotel,” Chanyeol ruffled his hair affectionately. “And you’re doing such a good job at it.”

Baekhyun brightened at the praise. “Of course I am. How else did we become the youngest hotel to be conferred a five-star star status?”

“I know, I know. You’re really impressive,” Chanyeol stuck his tongue out at Baekhyun playfully. “But I do think we’ve been working too hard these days. We should really chillax a little this evening.”

“Oh! That’s a fantastic idea!” Baekhyun gushed enthusiastically. “I’ve been itching to visit the library. I have nothing new to read these days.”

Chanyeol let out a groan. _“Nooooooo,”_ he whined. “Not the library! All I do is fall asleep in there! Let’s go catch a movie or something, please. Don’t torture your poor husband like this.”

“Please?” Baekhyun blinked cutely at him, knowing that his puppy dog eyes always worked on Chanyeol. “I’ll… reward you tonight if you take me to the library,” he added with a flirtatious wink.

Chanyeol’s back straightened at the sound of that. Letting out a suggestive smirk, he landed a kiss of anticipation on Baekhyun’s lips.

“I’ll hold you to your promise.”

\--

“When can we go for dinner? I’m hungry.”

 _“Shhhh,”_ Baekhyun shook his head, turning away from Chanyeol. “Let me finish this first,” he said dismissively, far too engrossed in his Dan Brown novel.

Chanyeol yawned loudly for the umpteenth time, earning an annoyed _‘tsk’_ from the middle-aged librarian. He shot her a sheepish smile, standing up to search for some comics to pass the time.

He was debating between _The Adventures of Tintin_ or _Coraline_ when another book caught his attention. _The Encyclopedia of Crystals,_ read its iridescent title, and Chanyeol couldn’t help but flip it open curiously. Photos of shiny gemstones were accompanied by one or two lines of explanatory text, and Chanyeol paid special attention to those with special or romantic meanings. Gems and crystals sounded like a perfect gift idea for their second wedding anniversary, and Chanyeol quickly snapped some photos of the ones he shortlisted.

When he flipped to the last page, his eyes widened in surprise and recognition. It was an instant form of understanding, and he let out a small smile when he realized that this was going to be _the one._

**_ Clear Quartz _ **

_The clear quartz is a powerful crystal which can help manifest whatever your heart desires._

“Whatever your heart desires,” Chanyeol read aloud, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “That’s true. That’s very true,” he chuckled under his breath, looking up to stare at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun looked up from his book at the same time, sensing Chanyeol’s eyes on him. He shot Chanyeol a brilliant smile, one that would put even the sun and the stars to shame.

In that very moment, Park Chanyeol felt like the luckiest man in the entire universe, because Byun Baekhyun was his _forever._

“I love you,” he mouthed at Baekhyun, showing him the cheesy finger hearts that he learnt from equally cheesy variety shows.

Baekhyun looked surprised at the sudden display of affection, but his eyes crinkled into the loveliest half-moons. His tender smile spoke volumes, conveying all of the purest emotions from his heart.

_I love you too._

**The End**


End file.
